interesting study

[acroyear]

Neuroskeptic: Real vs Placebo Coffee:

Coffee contains caffeine, and as everyone knows, caffeine is a stimulant. We all know how a good cup of coffee wakes you up, makes you more alert, and helps you concentrate - thanks to caffeine.

Or does it? Are the benefits of coffee really due to the caffeine, or are there placebo effects at work?

Comments

Re: yeah...

[acroyear70.livejournal.com]

well, that's where the *real* job of science gets involved. once there are enough studies, the next task is to do statistical studies of all of those studies to ferret out larger commonalities and patterns. THEN the analysts have to propose new tests that might verify those larger patterns, and the process repeats.

almost all cognitive issues have the overall problem of self-recognition involved. given that I read so many of these, i could never be a volunteer for these kinds of studies (or medical studies). i'm too aware of the process and the placebo factor that i'd be spending a lot of time wondering if i was actually in the placebo group.

that's actually the one negative of teaching more people about placebos - while we create people more skeptical of pseudoscience and silly religious claims, we also might make people more aware of the process and how they themselves might be duped by the people conducting the study (even a double-blind one).