Placebo Effect discussion

[Garret]

From online medical dictionary at cancerweb

Placebo Effect: An effect usually, but not necessarily, beneficial that is attributable to an expectation that the regimen will have an effect, i.e., the effect is due to the power of suggestion.

Placebo: Any dummy medical treatment, originally, a medicinal preparation having no specific pharmacological activity against the patients illness or complaint given solely for the psychophysiological effects of the treatment...

It's really not an apt analogy for a video game because there does need to be an actual effect, the purpose is to distinguish between pharmacological vs. psychophysiological effects. The game mechanics are what they are, you thinking they may work differently doesn't make it so (unlike with your body), therefore it is impossible for there to be a psychophysiological effect.

[hopefulki]

I live on placebo effect!

Millionaire's Desk, 4/3 Leaf Mandy Buds, Lucky Egg, TH, show me potato salad, THF kill.. everything. Why? Because if you do it all, and it does help - awesome, if it doesn't - no harm!

not exactly what the post is about, but i figure I'd share

In regards to the OP, since we aren't sure whether they work or not, couldn't it still be a placebo effect?

[Chrius]

hopeulkki: Your post is what the thread is about
You just defined what Tordall enlightened me too: myside bias - not placebo effect.

Having a Millionaire's desk = myside bias: because when you get a good drop you say - it's because of the desk! But when you get no drops you just give little weight to the desk

Placebo effect just doesn't work here because the placebo effect is something that has an actual change in outcomes.

I'm all for people starting to say - it's just the myside bias in me.

[hopefulki]

fair enough, I see what you are saying

[The Stig]

Don't forget: more deaths = more drops

or the more tarutarus die during X fight, the better the drops...

[Kerberoz]

I live on placebo effect!

Millionaire's Desk, 4/3 Leaf Mandy Buds, Lucky Egg, TH, show me potato salad, THF kill.. everything. Why? Because if you do it all, and it does help - awesome, if it doesn't - no harm!

not exactly what the post is about, but i figure I'd share

In regards to the OP, since we aren't sure whether they work or not, couldn't it still be a placebo effect?

Wasted gil, wasted inventory space, wasted time, possibly raising the chance of a wipe or lowering the number of mobs killed so the THF can get killshot, annoying people and stressing them out...

[Acturus]

Wasted gil, wasted inventory space, wasted time, possibly raising the chance of a wipe or lowering the number of mobs killed so the THF can get killshot, annoying people and stressing them out...

It's his 12.95 a month, he'll do what he wants.

[Jotaru]

In regards to the OP, since we aren't sure whether they work or not, couldn't it still be a placebo effect?

Not really. Placebo effect is, say, a body reacting to a mindset brought on by a placebo. The game doesn't react to your mindset; it doesn't know that you think what you're doing helps, and decide to help your chances because of it. There's a placebo, but no effect from it.

[Jakson]

His Wasted gil, his wasted inventory space, his and his ls's wasted time, possibly raising the chance of a wipe or lowering the number of mobs killed so the THF can get killshot, annoying people and stressing them out...

Fixed.

[nekura]

or the more tarutarus die during X fight, the better the drops...

This is fact, not placebo. D;

[Lexa]

I don't really care if it's correct or not - when I say "Go go placebo effect" when sticking a THF in ally/party for X drop, nobody is gonna misinterpret what I mean. :3

[dendryte]

The placebo effect exists because mental well-being is linked to physical well-being. If a patient's mental state, and thus his physical state, can be improved by a little "trick," then that is a better alternative to substances with side-effects.

"Placebo effect" is not a logical fallacy; non sequitur, rationalization, and poor understandings of probability and computer programming should cover it all.

[Wizerd]

Placebo effect sounds prettier than myside bias, so I doubt you'll get people to switch to it.

[Weeks]

In regards to the OP, since we aren't sure whether they work or not, couldn't it still be a placebo effect?

If they do work, it's because that's part of game mechanics, not because of the placebo effect.