2.

What physical and mental effects do you

think caffeine has on you?
• help you concentrate?
• improve your cognitive abilities?
• make you more alert?
• improve your motor skills?
• improve your reaction times?
• make you jittery?
placebo effect
 Listen to an interview

1. Why do you think coffee was

chosen for the experiment?
2. What were the four main stages
of the experiment?
1. It does you no harm. It’s easy to set up.
2. + It tested volunteers’ cognitive abilities
and motor skills.
+ It asked them what they thought the
effect of caffeine would be.
+ It gave them de-caffeinated coffee.
+ It tested their cognitive abilities and
motor skills again.
 ‘nocebo’ effect
witch doctor protection

voodoo
spell evil eye
doll curse
This is a voodoo doll, which might be This is an amulet (worn round your

used by a witch doctor to cast a spell on neck) to give you protection against

someone (or put a curse on someone). the evil eye (or a curse).