The DOI matches its Crossref record; 40 of the 40 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Conditioned Placebo Analgesia Persists When Subjects Know They Are Receiving a Placebo
Open accessAbstract
Unlabelled Belief in the effectiveness of a placebo treatment is widely thought to be critical for placebo analgesia. Many types of placebo responses--even those that depend on conditioning--appear to be mediated by expectations that are strengthened as treatment cues are reinforced with positive outcomes. However, placebo effects may occur even when participants are aware they are receiving a placebo. To address the question of whether conditioned placebo analgesia can persist in the absence of expectations, we studied the effects of long (4 days) versus short (1 day) conditioning to a placebo treatment. After an initial placebo test, a "reveal" manipulation convincingly demonstrated to participants that they had never received an active drug. Placebo analgesia persisted after the reveal in the long conditioning group only. These findings suggest that reinforcing treatment cues with positive outcomes can create placebo effects that are independent of reported expectations for pain relief.Perspective This article demonstrates a form of placebo analgesia that relies on prior conditioning rather than current expected pain relief. This highlights the importance of prior experience on pain relief and offers insight into the variability of placebo effects across individuals.
Overview
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Verification
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
The source backs part of the claim, not all of it — or backs it for a different population, condition or comparison.
In the citing paper
“However, in some cases cue effects can persist even after reinforcement ceases, resisting extinction and sometimes even growing over time (34–37).”
From Social information creates self-fulfilling prophecies in judgments of pain, vicarious pain, and cognitive effort (2026) · cites this paper as [35]
Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Citations
Cites
Rescorla, R. A. (1972) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 7,268
Linear Mixed-Effects Models using 'Eigen' and S4
Bates, D. M., Maechler, M., Bolker, B. M., & Walker, S. C. (2015) · Cited by 5,924
Classical conditioning II: Current research and theory.
Black, A. H., & Prokasy, W. F. (1972) · Appleton-Century-Crofts eBooks · Cited by 4,449
A Comprehensive Review of the Placebo Effect: Recent Advances and Current Thought
Price, D. D., Finniss, D. G., & Benedetti, F. (2008) · Annual Review of Psychology · doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.59.113006.095941 · Cited by 1,146
Ross, L. D., Lepper, M. R., & HUBBARD, M. L. (1975) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037//0022-3514.32.5.880 · Cited by 1,052
Ross, L., Lepper, M. R., & Hubbard, M. (1975) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-3514.32.5.880 · Cited by 1,052
Placebos without Deception: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Kaptchuk, T. J., Friedlander, E., Kelley, J. M., Sanchez, M. N., Kokkotou, E., Singer, J. P., Kowalczykowski, M., Miller, F. G., Kirsch, I., & Lembo, A. J. (2010) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0015591 · Cited by 900 · cited 2×
“allow placebos to serve as either dose extenders for chemically active treatments(28,29) or effective treatments on their own.(17) However, expectancy theory is challenged by demonstrations that placebo treatments can result in analgesia even when participants are unaware they are receiving a treatment.”
BackgroundResultAmanzio, M., & Benedetti, F. (1999) · The Journal of Neuroscience · doi:10.1523/jneurosci.19-01-00484.1999 · Cited by 899
Bingel, U., Wanigasekera, V., Wiech, K., Ni Mhuircheartaigh, R., Lee, M. C., Ploner, M., & Tracey, I. (2011) · Science Translational Medicine · doi:10.1126/scitranslmed.3001244 · Cited by 810
Benedetti, F., Pollo, A., Lopiano, L., Lanotte, M., Vighetti, S., & Rainero, I. (2003) · The Journal of Neuroscience · doi:10.1523/jneurosci.23-10-04315.2003 · Cited by 788
The Placebo Effect: Dissolving the Expectancy Versus Conditioning Debate.
Stewart‐Williams, S., & Podd, J. (2004) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/0033-2909.130.2.324 · Cited by 686
The learning curve: implications of a quantitative analysis.
Gallistel, C., Fairhurst, S. P., & Balsam, P. (2004) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · doi:10.1073/pnas.0404965101 · Cited by 587
Price, D. D., Milling, L. S., Kirsch, I., Duff, A., Montgomery, G. H., & Nicholls, S. S. (1999) · Pain · doi:10.1016/s0304-3959(99)00081-0 · Cited by 569
Classical conditioning and the placebo effect
Montgomery, G. H., & Kirsch, I. (1997) · Pain · doi:10.1016/s0304-3959(97)00016-x · Cited by 468
How prior experience shapes placebo analgesia
Colloca, L., & Benedetti, F. (2006) · Pain · doi:10.1016/j.pain.2006.04.005 · Cited by 443
Self-citationResponse expectancies in placebo analgesia and their clinical relevance
Pollo, A., Amanzio, M., Arslanian, A., Casadio, C., Maggi, G., & Benedetti, F. (2001) · Pain · doi:10.1016/s0304-3959(01)00296-2 · Cited by 442
The biochemical and neuroendocrine bases of the hyperalgesic nocebo effect
Benedetti, F., Amanzio, M., Vighetti, S., & Asteggiano, G. (2006) · The Journal of Neuroscience · doi:10.1523/jneurosci.2947-06.2006 · Cited by 419
The role of conditioning and verbal expectancy in the placebo response
Voudouris, N. J., Peck, C. L., & Coleman, G. (1990) · Pain · doi:10.1016/0304-3959(90)90057-k · Cited by 369
Descending analgesia – When the spine echoes what the brain expects
Goffaux, P., Redmond, W. J., Rainville, P., & Marchand, S. (2007) · Pain · doi:10.1016/j.pain.2006.11.011 · Cited by 342
Nonconscious activation of placebo and nocebo pain responses
Jensen, K. B., Kaptchuk, T. J., Kirsch, I., Raicek, J., Lindstrom, K. M., Berna, C., Gollub, R. L., Ingvar, M., & Kong, J. (2012) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.1202056109 · Cited by 305
How the number of learning trials affects placebo and nocebo responses
Colloca, L., Petrovic, P., Wager, T. D., Ingvar, M., & Benedetti, F. (2010) · Pain · doi:10.1016/j.pain.2010.08.007 · Cited by 300
Self-citationPrice, D. D., Craggs, J. G., Verne, G. N., Perlstein, W. M., & Robinson, M. E. (2006) · Pain · doi:10.1016/j.pain.2006.08.001 · Cited by 271
Behavioral conditioning of immunosuppression is possible in humans
Goebel, M. U., Trebst, A. E., Steiner, J., Xie, Y., Exton, M. S., Frede, S., Canbay, A. E., Michel, M. C., Heemann, U. W., & Schedlowski, M. (2002) · The FASEB Journal · doi:10.1096/fj.02-0389com · Cited by 238
The role of cognition in classical and operant conditioning
Kirsch, I., Lynn, S. J., Vigorito, M., & Miller, R. R. (2004) · Journal of Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1002/jclp.10251 · Cited by 192
Vase, L., Petersen, G. L., Riley, J. L., & Price, D. D. (2009) · Pain · doi:10.1016/j.pain.2009.04.008 · Cited by 191
Watson, A., El‐Deredy, W., Iannetti, G. D., Lloyd, D. M., Tracey, I., Vogt, B. A., Nadeau, V. J., & Jones, A. K. P. (2009) · Pain · doi:10.1016/j.pain.2009.04.003 · Cited by 189
Conditioned Placebo Dose Reduction: A New Treatment in Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?
SANDLER, A. D., Glesne, C., & Bodfish, J. W. (2010) · Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics · doi:10.1097/dbp.0b013e3181e121ed · Cited by 153
Open‐label use of placebos in the treatment of ADHD: a pilot study
Sandler, A. D., & Bodfish, J. W. (2007) · Child Care Health and Development · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2214.2007.00797.x · Cited by 152
Placebo effects in laser-evoked pain potentials.
Wager, T., Matre, D., & Casey, K. (2006) · Brain, behavior, and immunity · doi:10.1016/j.bbi.2006.01.007 · Cited by 149
Self-citationConditioned placebo responses.
Voudouris, N. J., Peck, C. L., & Coleman, G. J. (1985) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037//0022-3514.48.1.47 · Cited by 135
The relation of emotions to placebo responses
Flaten, M. A., Aslaksen, P. M., Lyby, P. S., & Bjørkedal, E. (2011) · Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences · doi:10.1098/rstb.2010.0407 · Cited by 135
Conditioned placebo responses.
Voudouris, N. J., Peck, C. L., & Coleman, G. J. (1985) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-3514.48.1.47 · Cited by 134
Is fear of pain related to placebo analgesia?
Lyby, P. S., Aslaksen, P. M., & Flaten, M. A. (2010) · Journal of Psychosomatic Research · doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2009.10.009 · Cited by 99
Partial reinforcement, extinction, and placebo analgesia
Au Yeung, S. T., Colagiuri, B., Lovibond, P. F., & Colloca, L. (2014) · Pain · doi:10.1016/j.pain.2014.02.022 · Cited by 92
Self-citationJepma, M., Jones, M., & Wager, T. D. (2014) · Journal of Pain · doi:10.1016/j.jpain.2014.02.010 · Cited by 86
Self-citationExpectancy and conditioning in placebo analgesia: Separate or connected processes?
Kirsch, I., Kong, J., Sadler, P., Spaeth, R. B., Cook, A., Kaptchuk, T. J., & Gollub, R. L. (2014) · Psychology of Consciousness Theory Research and Practice · doi:10.1037/cns0000007 · Cited by 77
Placebo Effects on the Immune Response in Humans: The Role of Learning and Expectation
Albring, A., Wendt, L., Benson, S., Witzke, O., Kribben, A., Engler, H., & Schedlowski, M. (2012) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0049477 · Cited by 65
Categories of placebo response in the absence of site-specific expectation of analgesia
Watson, A., El‐Deredy, W., Bentley, D. E., Vogt, B. A., & Jones, A. K. P. (2006) · Pain · doi:10.1016/j.pain.2006.06.021 · Cited by 44
Chung, K. S., Price, D. D., Verne, N. G., & Robinson, M. E. (2007) · Pain · doi:10.1016/j.pain.2007.01.034 · Cited by 43
How initial confirmatory experience potentiates the detrimental influence of bad advice
Staudinger, M. R., & Büchel, C. (2013) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2013.02.074 · Cited by 33
Cited by
Sorted by citations
The Placebo Effect in Pain Therapies
Colloca, L. (2018) · The Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology · doi:10.1146/annurev-pharmtox-010818-021542 · Cited by 303
Self-citationThe placebo effect: From concepts to genes
Colagiuri, B., Schenk, L. A., Keßler, M., Dorsey, S. G., & Colloca, L. (2015) · Neuroscience · doi:10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.08.017 · Cited by 278
Self-citationCharlesworth, J. E. G., Petkovic, G., Kelley, J. M., Hunter, M., Onakpoya, I., Roberts, N. W., Miller, F. G., & Howick, J. (2017) · Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine · doi:10.1111/jebm.12251 · Cited by 210
Brain Mechanisms of the Placebo Effect: An Affective Appraisal Account
Ashar, Y. K., Chang, L. J., & Wager, T. D. (2017) · Annual Review of Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-021815-093015 · Cited by 201
Self-citationPlacebo effects and their determinants in gastrointestinal disorders
Elsenbruch, S., & Enck, P. (2015) · Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology · doi:10.1038/nrgastro.2015.117 · Cited by 173
Metadata
- Authors
- Schafer, S. M., Colloca, L., & Wager, T. D.
- Affiliations
- University of Colorado Boulder (US)
- University of Maryland, Baltimore (US)
- Corresponding author
- Schafer, Scott M.
- Venue
- The Journal of Pain
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2015-05
- Volume
- 16
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 412-420
- ISSN
- 1526-5900 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC4424173
- OpenAlex
- W2085650940
- Cited by
- 117
- References
- 38
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 8
- FWCI
- 8.83
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Journal of Pain (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (1f31da034516-01)
- National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH076136)
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (5F31DA034516-03, F31 DA034516)
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (Z99AT999999)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Pain Management and Placebo Effect
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology (medical) › Pain Mechanisms and Treatments
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Complementary and alternative medicine › Acupuncture Treatment Research Studies
- Keywords
- placebo effect, expectations, conditioning, analgesia, prior experience, interindividual variability
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Analgesia, Conditioning, Psychological, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Placebo Effect, Young Adult
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
