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The Effects of Open-label Placebos on Acute Stress
Sponsor: University of Auckland, New Zealand
Summary
The goal of this study is to find out whether an open-label placebo nasal spray can reduce stress among individuals engaging in a high-stress canyon swing. The main questions the study aims to answer are: 1) Does an open-label placebo increase likelihood of participants completing another jump? 2) Does the placebo affect how long it takes participants to jump, reduce the reported stress levels before the jump 3) Does the placebo change how enjoyable participants find the jump? Researchers will compare participants who receive an open-label placebo nasal spray (a spray that contains no active medication and is clearly described as a placebo) with participants who receive no treatment (control). The aim is to see whether the placebo nasal spray can increase likelihood of participants completing another jump, reduce reported stress and improve participants overall enjoyment of the jump. Participants will: * Complete a short questionnaire before they jump * Either self administer a placebo nasal spray (one spray in each nostril) right before stepping through the gate to jump, or receive no treatment (control). * Complete a short questionnaire after completing the jump * Whether they complete another jump will be noted
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
18 Years - Any
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
260
Start Date
2026-04
Completion Date
2026-11
Last Updated
2026-04-13
Healthy Volunteers
Yes
Conditions
Interventions
Open Label Placebo
Participants allocated to the placebo arm will self-administer the nasal spray before entering through the gate to jump. The nasal spray contains no active ingredients. It is made of a saline solution and is described to participants as a placebo. Participants are informed that placebos can produce powerful effects and have been shown to reduce stress and anxiety through expectations and prior learning - processes where the body learns to respond automatically to cues that are associated with a relief in symptoms.
Locations (1)
Canyon Swing
Queenstown, Otago, New Zealand