The patients attitude to the placebo is a vital component. The doctor or therapist's 'bedside manner' is an important part of setting the scene, giving the person something to latch on to, and is vital in cultivating the patient's attitude to the placebo. This psychological component is a vital factor in initialising the placebo effect The empathy, encouragement and support given by the care provider constitutes this psychological component. In addition to the psychological effect, the actual style of the placebo will influence the efficiency of the placebo effect . Experiment has shown that unpleasant tasting pills are more effective than sweet tasting placebo pills.
Hypodermic injections are more effective still.
A placebo administered in a surgery full of sophisticated equipment will be more effective than a placebo administered in the patients own bedroom. The more dramatic a placebo is, the more it is likely toinfluence the patient's thought processes. It is possible to induce a negative placebo effect. Wait until a friend in work drinks a cup of tea. Say to him.