The Placebo Effect: The Result of Biased Information Acquisition?

Abstract

We will observe how people view and rate a series of pictures depending on the expectation they receive. We predict that differences in expectations and the way people are persuaded by their expectations will change their perceptions. Research supports instances where individuals can overcorrect for their expectations and have different feelings for something contrary to their expectations. Participants will be recruited to measure the extent to which individuals are influenced by his/her expectations with a short series of questions, then presenting participants with 9 collages of 9 pictures (equally balanced with 3 pleasant, 3 unpleasant, and 3 neutral pictures) using eye tracking equipment, and finally asking them to rate how pleasant they thought the pictures were to them. The eye tracking equipment will gather data on how participants view the pictures and hopefully how expectations can guide and change their perception. A correlational analysis will be used. We are trying to see if the correction for expectations occurs during the stimuli, after the fact, or both. We hope to find data that could be used for future research regarding expectations, placebo effects, and how to manage them.