In an experiment treating spider phobia, half of the participants get eight hours of cognitive-behavioral treatment. The other half get eight hours of attention from a therapist but no active treatment. Both groups report a statistically significant reduction in their fear of spiders. This is evidence that

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The fact that there was a statistically significant reduction in fear of spiders in both groups suggests that the placebo effect can be significant. The group that received no active treatment could have experienced this reduction due to the attention and support they received from the therapist, rather than the specific intervention provided in the cognitive-behavioral therapy group.

In an Experiment Treating Spider Phobia, Half of the Participants