Aberystwyth academic's placebo work to be featured on TV's Horizon this evening
Dr Chris Beedie, a Reader in Sport & Exercise Psychology at the Institute of Human Sciences at Aberystwyth University will illustrate how placebos can improve sporting performance on tonight’s edition of the BBC’s long standing science programme, Horizon. The programme, The Power of the Placebo is broadcast on BBC2 at 9pm tonight, Monday 17 February. Dr Beedie’s research examines the role of emotions and beliefs in human behaviour. “Athletes look for any product, technology, or process that might provide them a competitive advantage,” he said. “This leads some athletes to use illegal and potentially harmful drugs. The use of such drugs undermines the ethos of sport. More seriously, it threatens the health of athletes. There are currently 73 documented deaths resulting from the use of performance enhancing drugs in sport.” “A small number of athletes who have failed drugs tests have claimed that they did not know they had taken the drug. It is now clear that in several cases drugs...