Society for the Anthropology of Consciousness Distinguished Lecture: Consciousness, “Symbolic Healing,” and the Meaning Response
Anthropology of Consciousness September 1, 2012 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1111/j.1556-3537.2012.01061.x
Summary
Symbolic healing, which involves responding positively to meaningful experiences, can aid in human healing. This process engages consciousness to varying degrees and is discussed in the context of the so-called placebo effect, which the author suggests should be redefined as the 'meaning response.' The paper argues for a change in language regarding these phenomena.
Study at a glance
| Key finding | The author argues that the placebo effect should be referred to as the 'meaning response' to better reflect its nature. |
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Abstract
AbstractSymbolic healing, that is, responding to meaningful experiences in positive ways, can facilitate human healing. This process partly engages consciousness and partly evades consciousness completely (sometimes it partakes of both simultaneously). This paper, presented as the Society for the Anthropology of Consciousness Distinguished Lecture at the 2011 AAA meeting in Montreal, reviews recent research on what is ordinarily (and unfortunately) called the “placebo effect.” The author makes the argument that language use should change, and the relevant portions of what is often called the placebo effect should be referred to as the “meaning response.”