Figure 1.

Visual depiction of four study conditions. In the Control condition, participants were exposed to a warm and competent provider. In the Ritual condition, participants were exposed to a warm and competent provider who administered an open-label placebo (OLP) cream (a medical ritual) for their allergic reaction. In the Expectation condition, participants were exposed to a warm and competent provider who administered an OLP cream (a medical ritual) for their allergic reaction and set positive expectations that it would reduce their itchiness and irritation. In the Rationale condition, participants were exposed to a warm and friendly provider who administered an OLP cream (a medical ritual) for their allergic reaction, set positive expectations that it would reduce their itchiness and irritation, and provided a rationale for how OLPs can treat allergic reactions.