---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A few years ago, Tor Wager, a…"
description: "\"“A few years ago, Tor Wager, a neuroscientist at Columbia University, wanted to figure out why placebos were so effective. His experiment was brutally ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7a/jonah-lehrer-9286_college-student_a-few-years-ago-tor-wager-a-neuroscienti_773671.png"
---

#  A few years ago, Tor Wager, a neuroscientist at Columbia…

![“A few years ago, Tor Wager, a neuroscientist at Columbia University, wanted to figure out why placebos were so effective. His experiment was brutally straightforward: he gave college students electric shocks while they were stuck in an fMRI machine. (The subjects were well compensated, at least by…” quote by Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7a/jonah-lehrer-9286_college-student_a-few-years-ago-tor-wager-a-neuroscienti_773671.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7a/jonah-lehrer-9286_college-student_a-few-years-ago-tor-wager-a-neuroscienti_773671.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7a/jonah-lehrer-9286_college-student_a-few-years-ago-tor-wager-a-neuroscienti_773671.png)

> ““A few years ago, Tor Wager, a neuroscientist at Columbia University, wanted to figure out why placebos were so effective. His experiment was brutally straightforward: he gave college students electric shocks while they were stuck in an fMRI machine. (The subjects were well compensated, at least by undergraduate standards.)””

[Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Scientists investigated why placebos work by pairing electric shocks with brain imaging, revealing expectation’s power over pain perception.

**In simple terms:** Placebos work because the brain expects relief.

Key Takeaway

Consider how expectations shape experiences.

Themes

psychology neuroscience expectation pain placebo

Mood

curious analytical

Type

scientific informative

When to use this quote

- clinical trials
- patient care
- mind‑body therapies

Key Concepts

brain imaging experimental design ethical considerations

Questions to Reflect On

- How do expectations alter physical sensations?
- Can we ethically harness placebo effects?

A Different Perspective

Placebo effects may vary across individuals and contexts.

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[College student](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college-student/) [College students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college-students/) [Electric shock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/electric-shock/) [Neuroscientist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neuroscientist/) [Placebos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/placebos/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/)

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