, Columnist
Beware That Nocebo Strapped to Your Wrist
Fitness gadgets are supposed to improve your health, but often end up making you feel worse.
Too much information?
Photographer: George Eastman House/Archive PhotosThis article is for subscribers only.
Most people are familiar with the concept of a placebo, where merely providing positive information can improve perception of well-being. Yet the opposite also occurs, with negative data making people feel worse about their own health.
That’s a nocebo — Latin for “I shall harm” as opposed to “I shall please” for placebo. And there’s a good chance you have a nocebo strapped to your wrist.