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NCT Number: NCT04669093

Individual Differences in Placebo Analgesic Effects

This study examines the effects of placebo suggestions tailored to match or mismatch individual participants' motivational styles-an issue of person-situation 'fit' with important effects in public health settings, but which has been ignored in past research.

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Key information

Conditions

Healthy

Age range

18 year–55 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Dartmouth College

Hanover, New Hampshire, 03755, United States

Location contact

Bethany Hunt, BA

CONTACT

[email protected]

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Healthy participants
  • Dominant promotion focus or dominant prevention focus (based on our screening)

Exclusion criteria

  • Currently or recently suffered from chronic pain (based on screening)
  • Cannot tolerate heat pain applied to the forearm, based on a calibration task at the beginning of the experiment

Treatment and study plan

Placebo cream- "promotion" suggestion

Behavioral

Over-the-counter hand cream will be applied to participants' skin, but they will be told that they are given a highly efficient topical analgesic cream. The suggestion will be based on a "promotion" approach (promoting good feelings).

Placebo cream- "prevention" suggestion

Behavioral

Over-the-counter hand cream will be applied to participants' skin, but they will be told that they are given a highly efficient topical analgesic cream. The suggestion will be based on a "prevention" approach (preventing pain).

Control Cream

Behavioral

In a control condition, with the same cream as in the placebo interventions, participants will be instructed that the cream is a control cream with no effects.

Primary outcomes

  1. Changes in subjective ratings of acute thermal pain

    Time frame: Measured repeatedly, immediately after thermal stimuli on the day of participation. Averaged and compared across interventions.

    Following each thermal stimulus, participants are asked to rate how painful it was, on a semi-circular computerized scale. Ratings are based on the angle (0-180), with higher angle representing higher pain ratings. We will average and compare the pain ratings within participant across interventions.

  2. Changes in subjective ratings of pain expectations

    Time frame: Measured repeatedly, immediately before thermal stimuli on the day of participation. Averaged and compared across interventions.

    Before each thermal stimulus, participants are asked to rate how painful they expect the next stimulus to be, on a semi-circular computerized scale. Ratings are based on the angle (0-180), with higher angle representing higher expectations ratings. We will average and compare the expectation ratings within participant across interventions.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Facial expressions

    Time frame: Immediate response measured during painful stimulation on the day of participation. Averaged and compared across interventions.

    We will obtain facial video recordings of participants with a video camera. We will analyze these data according to Facial Action Units (facial expressions) that are known to be related to pain, and compare them across interventions.

  2. Thermal imaging of the face

    Time frame: Immediate response measured during painful stimulation on the day of participation. Averaged and compared across interventions.

    We will obtain thermal recordings of participant's face with an infrared camera, and compare the heat signature of the face (the temperature in different parts of the face) across interventions.

  3. Changes in skin conductance response measured with a Biopac device

    Time frame: Immediate response measured during painful stimulation on the day of participation. Averaged and compared across interventions.

    Skin conductance will be measured. We will compare the skin conductance response to pain stimuli within participant across interventions.

  4. Changes in heart rate measured with a Biopac device

    Time frame: Immediate response measured during painful stimulation on the day of participation. Averaged and compared across interventions.

    Heart rate will be measured. We will compare the heart rate in response to pain stimuli within participant across interventions.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Tor D Wager, PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

(603)-646-2196

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Trustees of Dartmouth College

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Person by Situation Interaction: Matching Suggestions to Participants' Motivational Styles

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2027
Study completion
2027
First posted
Dec 16, 2020
Registry last updated
Dec 9, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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