The Dr. Bo Show

The word "placebo," Latin for "I shall please," is generally understood in modern terminology as an inert (inactive) substance or procedure that affects the outcome of a treatment. The placebo effect (or placebo effects) is generally understood as the improvement in a person’s condition due to the presence of the placebo. However, this concept is far more complex than most people realize, but it is within this complexity we find understanding. There has been an enormous amount of research over t. . . See the complete description at http://www.thedrboshow.com/tools/bg/Bo/TheDrBoShow

With the measles outbreak at DisneyLand beginning in December of 2014, the debate on the need and safety of vaccines has been reignited. While I am not going to get into the science of vaccine safety and effectiveness, I am going to cover the psychology of the anti-vaccine movement, and some potential factors that lead to people denying scientific facts.Out of Sight, Out of MindWe tend not to think much about what we don’t experience. For example, most of us (in the United States) take for grant. . . See the complete description at http://www.thedrboshow.com/tools/bg/Bo/TheDrBoShow

The "non-sexist" answer would be "of course not, you sexist moron," but I am not here to offer politically correct answers; I am here to offer scientifically correct ones. The actual answer is more complex than a yes or no answer, and not at all sexist since it considers both genders equally. So before you get offended with the idea that sticking to traditional and even stereotypical gender roles can possibly result in a more satisfying marriage, domestic partnership, or intimate relationship, r. . . See the complete description at http://www.thedrboshow.com/tools/bg/Bo/TheDrBoShow

In science it often happens that scientists say, ‘You know that’s a really good argument; my position is mistaken,’ and then they actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again... . I cannot recall the last time something like that has happened in politics or religion. - Carl Sagan, 1987 CSICOP addressYou should trust science as a process for separating fact from fiction because of its flexibility to update theories and findings based on new information, and b. . . See the complete description at http://www.thedrboshow.com/tools/bg/Bo/TheDrBoShow

Self-licensing or the licensing effect is relying on reasons to justify subsequent gratification (Witt Huberts, Evers, & De Ridder, 2012). In other words, it is the process we go through when we convince ourselves that we deserve an indulgence. This is different than simply lacking will-power, and as such, different strategies need to be used to mitigate the harm this can do to us in terms of our goals. Although self-licensing can be applied to any area of our lives that require self-discipl. . . See the complete description at http://www.thedrboshow.com/tools/bg/Bo/TheDrBoShow

Scientists are people, and like all people, they are susceptible to biases, have self-interests, and are corruptible. In fact, corporations, lobbyists, political parties and action committees, defendants and plaintiffs will hire their own team of science "experts" who agree with their claims (or will, for the right price). Given the number of studies that have been done on any given issue (especially the major ones), finding data to support virtually any conclusion is not that challenging. This . . . See the complete description at http://www.thedrboshow.com/tools/bg/Bo/TheDrBoShow

I apologize in advance if I come across as a party pooper‚Äîthat person at magic shows who ruins the fun for everyone by giving away the magician’s secrets, but there is no magic involved in what is usually referred to as "group levitation." Levitation, spoon-bending, and the Ouija board are all based on similar, completely natural, psychological and physiological phenomena. There are a few scientific principles at work here. Group levitation usually begins with a person telling the other pa. . . See the complete description at http://www.thedrboshow.com/tools/bg/Bo/TheDrBoShow

Strangely, one of my strongest childhood memories is when I called my brother an idiot, and two minutes later I stubbed my toe. My brother told me that God was punishing me—that seemed to make sense to me given the Catholic framework in which I was raised. Perhaps if I were raised as a Buddhist, my brother would have told me it was "Karma," or a spiritual theory of moral causation that states people get what they deserve. This is a fairly common belief adopted by many cul. . . See the complete description at http://www.thedrboshow.com/tools/bg/Bo/TheDrBoShow

It is no secret that much of the information found on the Internet today is strongly influenced by its monetary value, or to put another way, how many clicks an article can get. Unfortunately for science and humanity, accuracy, journalistic integrity, and truth are of far less monetary value than shock, emotional appeal, and fear. As a result, if scientific information does manage to make its way into the mainstream media (assuming nothing is going on with the Kardashian’s that day), it is often. . . See the complete description at http://www.thedrboshow.com/tools/bg/Bo/TheDrBoShow

Detecting if someone likes you or not is similar to detecting if someone is lying or not. "Lie detectors," human or machine, are actually anxiety detectors since the physical signs of anxiety are associated with lying. While a person can have anxiety about lying, he can also have anxiety about being accused of dishonesty—or he can simply be an anxious person. Sociopaths rarely show signs of anxiety when lying, so these detection methods can be more than useless, but lead to false negatives. . . See the complete description at http://www.thedrboshow.com/tools/bg/Bo/TheDrBoShow