Communication about placebos
When communicating about placebos, language is likely to play an important role. Both Studies 1 and 2 demonstrated public sensitivity to terminology. Our focus groups highlighted negative public associations with the term “impure”, which may affect acceptability of impure placebos. Instead, it may be favourable to describe these as “a type of placebos”, as done in Studies 2 and 3. Additionally, Study 2 suggested that using the term “sugar pill” instead of “placebo” may decrease public acceptability under certain circumstances. Additional research could help to identify further framing effects and the influences of other types of terminology that might shape public attitudes.