In the placebo effect, you try something, see results, and believe those results derived from what you tried, when in fact what you tried could not possibly have had any effect whatsoever; the observed results are then attributed to one’s beliefs that the tried thing had the capacity for effecting change.
The above refers to a different phenomenon: one tries something, doesn’t see results, and believes what they tried had no effect, when in fact what they tried did have results.
In the placebo effect, one’s beliefs effect change. In the phenomenon Shannon refers to, change occurs regardless of one’s beliefs.
Interestingly, when I presented the above description of the placebo effect to someone and asked for what they would expect of the opposite, they replied, “Change happens and they don’t believe it.” I would think the term, “Opposite-Placebo Effect” or “Opposite of the Placebo Effect” a better descriptor, as ‘anti-’ implies simple negation rather than a flipping of observed effects.
This could of course just be an issue of differing perspectives on what is or isn’t an intuitive moniker.
I didn’t know this, and if there are other instances, would like to know all of them. Thank you!