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Watch out! That medicine will make you sick! You’ll regret taking it!” Words hold immense power over our minds and bodies. Just as Dumbo believed in the magic feather and flew across the circus tent—even after he learned the feather was a placebo, an empty talisman—our beliefs can shape our experiences in unexpected ways. However, there is a darker side to this phenomenon—the “nocebo” effect. Brace yourself as we now step into the darker shadows of the circus tent and…
Citizen Science No. 5 by Jamie Zvirzdin The Power of the Placebo Effect,Part I: Magic Feathers and Medical Transparency Dumbo! C’mon, fly! Open them ears! The magic feather was just a gag! You can fly! Honest, you can!” I can recite many Disney movies almost word for word, but I also recall that the 1941 version of “Dumbo” made me acutely sad and anxious. And no wonder: a poor baby elephant with big ears is mocked by others at the…