—Latin for “I will please”, the word placebo and the placebo effect means just that. Commonly used in research, a placebo is an inactive substance that would otherwise have no effect. However, because of the power of suggestion, when told that the placebo has an effect, the subjects receiving the placebo will believe and report that it does. This results in the placebo effect. Although placebos and the placebo effect are often spoken of in the context of medicine, occurrences of placebos and its effect have been commonly observed outside of medicine (Carroll).
Psychology: The Power of the Placebo Effect
http://socyberty.com/psychology/the-power-of-the-placebo-effect/
