Context Interventions: Social Modeling and Initial Treatment Experience
Trustees of Dartmouth College
Summary
In this experiment, the investigators study the brain pathways underlying several promising context interventions that enhance the strength of placebo effects. Specifically, the investigators examine the separate and joint effects of two of the most powerful context interventions: Social modeling-observing someone else being effectively treated-and prior treatment success or failure experiences. Participants will be randomized into 4 groups (Social modeling: observed success vs. observed failure and Conditioning: experienced success vs. experienced failure). The objectives are to investigate the placebo effect on pain relief and aversive image stimuli between and within-subjects. Each group will undergo a behavioral induction phase, fMRI placebo test phase, and an identical 3-month follow up fMRI placebo test phase. Follow-up assessment will provide some of the first evidence on predictors of the durability of placebo and context interventions.
Description
Background: Humans are highly social creatures, and others' behavior and experiences can have profound effects on symptoms, physiology, and behavior. Social modeling-watching a similar other experience treatment benefits-may also strongly enhance placebo effects and their durability over time, particularly when combined with other context interventions. Social influences can affect core motivational circuitry (e.g., nAC and amygdala), shape learning trajectories, and appears to have distinct mechanisms from other (e.g., conditioning) manipulations. Their impact on brain mechanisms of placebo…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18–55 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria: * No current psychiatric or major neurological diagnosis * No reported substance abuse within the last six months * Capable of performing experimental tasks (e.g., are able to read, able to cooperate with fMRI examination) * Fluent or native speakers of English * No current or recent history of pathological pain or reported neurological disorders * Abstained from alcohol and substance use for 48 hours * Provided informed consent * Passed fMRI screening test Exclusion Criteria: * Current presence of pain * Current or past history of primary psychiatric disorder * Current…
Interventions
- BehavioralObserved Success
The demonstrator in video gets a placebo treatment, "Levoderm" analgesic cream, which will be shown to be effective at relieving pain.
- BehavioralObserved Failure
The demonstrator in the video gets the same placebo treatment, but shows little to no effectiveness from the placebo for relieving pain.
- BehavioralExperienced Success
The participant will receive reduced stimulus intensities after the placebo cream treatment to reinforce the effectiveness of the cream.
- BehavioralExperienced Failure
The participant will not receive reduced stimulus intensities after the placebo treatment, so the cream is not reinforced as effective.
Location
- Dartmouth CollegeHanover, New Hampshire