noun phrase · academic
placebo effect
UK/pləˈsiːbəʊ ɪˈfekt/US/pləˈsiːboʊ ɪˈfekt/pla·ce·BO ef·FECT
the improvement in a patient’s condition resulting from the mere belief that they are receiving treatment
Examples
“Participants in the control group showed a placebo effect, reporting less pain despite receiving a sugar pill.”
“The placebo effect can complicate the interpretation of clinical trials.”
“Researchers try to control for the placebo effect by using blind procedures.”
Band 8 sentence
“Even when the active ingredient is absent, the placebo effect can produce measurable changes in patient outcomes.”
Collocations
- control for the placebo effect
- observe a placebo effect
Word family
Common mistakes
placebo medicine→placebo pill / placebo
placebo effect means drug works→placebo effect
Say it for a higher band
5placebo medicine→6placebo pill→7+placebo effect
Synonyms
psychosomatic response
Easily confused
nocebo effect
“Some patients experience a nocebo effect and report side effects despite receiving a harmless substance.”
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