To test the efficacy of a prescription anti-anxiety medication, clinical researchers administered it to some test subjects while others unknowingly received sugar pills. Everyone knew what the trial was about; and it occurred in the USA. Both groups reported reduced anxiety. How/why?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The fact that both groups reported reduced anxiety suggests that the sugar pill may have had a placebo effect, also known as a 'meaning response'. This refers to the idea that simply believing that a treatment will work can produce real physiological and psychological changes in the body. This is a well-documented phenomenon in clinical research, and it could explain why both groups reported reduced anxiety in this case.

To Test the Efficacy of a Prescription Anti-Anxiety Medication, Clinical