We have often heard arguments whether preferences in audio equipment are subject to attitudes, beliefs, and expectations – often described as the placebo effect. Sometimes I have heard people ask “what exactly is this placebo effect?” The other day I experienced a good example of how my attitudes, beliefs, and expectations affected my own perception of my health.
The previous week, I had the flu, with all the usual symptoms including four days of fever. After that, I continued to feel truly rotten. I expected that full recovery might be slow, but I felt weak and had a bad cough that lingered much too long. Last Thursday, I finally decided to see a doctor. Over the phone I managed to sound pitiful enough to get an appointment for the next day. Surprisingly, the next morning, I felt much better. Just the act of scheduling a visit to the doctor was enough to make me sleep better that night and feel better in the morning. That is the placebo effect at work.
