Reiki can’t possibly work, so why does it?
theatlantic.com
Reiki can’t possibly work, so why does it?
1–10 of 315 posts
Re: Reiki can’t possibly work, so why does it?
#2It doesn't work, no more than placebo or straightforwards meditation does.
Re: Reiki can’t possibly work, so why does it?
#3It doesn't work, no more than placebo or straightforwards meditation does.
That is addressed in the article:
Skeptics are quick to point to the placebo effect: The body’s capacity to heal itself after receiving only the simulated experience of medication or therapy is well documented. But precisely because that capacity is so well documented, reflexive dismissal of the placebo effect as “fake medicine” demands scrutiny—and is now receiving it. In late 2018, The New York Times Magazine reported on a group of scientists whose research suggests that responsiveness to placebos, rather than a mere trick of the mind, can be traced to a complex series of measurable physiological reactions in the body; certain genetic makeups in patients even correlate with greater placebo response.
I think the idea that we have a biological response to people showing they care about us is plausible. That would suggest it might also have a different/stronger effect than meditation. I would be very surprised if there was a measurable difference between "real" and theatrical Reiki, though.
Re: Reiki can’t possibly work, so why does it?
#4It doesn't work, no more than placebo or straightforwards meditation does.
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Re: Reiki can’t possibly work, so why does it?
#5It doesn't work, no more than placebo or straightforwards meditation does.
That is addressed in the article: Skeptics are quick to point to the placebo effect: The body’s capacity to heal itself after receiving only the simulated experience of medication or therapy is well documented. But precisely because that capacity is so well documented, reflexive dismissal of the placebo effect as “fake medicine” demands scrutiny—and is now receiving it. In late 2018, The New York Times Magazine repor…
Re: Reiki can’t possibly work, so why does it?
#6It doesn't work, no more than placebo or straightforwards meditation does.
So it works...? Placebo effect is real, measurable, and helpful.
Re: Reiki can’t possibly work, so why does it?
#7It doesn't work, no more than placebo or straightforwards meditation does.
There’s a fantastic episode of Hidden Brain that discusses research on the placebo effect itself. You should check it out!
Re: Reiki can’t possibly work, so why does it?
#8It doesn't work, no more than placebo or straightforwards meditation does.
That is addressed in the article: Skeptics are quick to point to the placebo effect: The body’s capacity to heal itself after receiving only the simulated experience of medication or therapy is well documented. But precisely because that capacity is so well documented, reflexive dismissal of the placebo effect as “fake medicine” demands scrutiny—and is now receiving it. In late 2018, The New York Times Magazine repor…
I believe that most discussions about the placebo effect are muddled by whether regression-to-the-mean effects are included or not. [1]
When one is comparing a treatment with a "placebo", it makes sense to include "regression-to-the-mean" effects, since you're obviously looking to do better than that with your treatment.
However, when people ask "What are the biological causes of the placebo effect?", they should really be excluding "regression-to-the-mean" effects since there's no causal link between the "placebo treatment" and the regression part of the outcome.
If one looks for a placebo effect and EXCLUDES regression-to-the-mean, the effect sizes tend to be small to nonexistent, which makes discussion about their physiological causes a lot more shaky.
[1] http://www.dcscience.net/2015/12/11/placebo-effects-are-weak...
Re: Reiki can’t possibly work, so why does it?
#9It doesn't work, no more than placebo or straightforwards meditation does.
> It doesn't work, no more than placebo or straightforwards meditation does.
Equivalently: It does work, as much as placebo or meditation.
Re: Reiki can’t possibly work, so why does it?
#10Magical thinking and placebo effect. I don't see any Reiki masters on the front line fighting COVID-19 because they know it has no real effect.