Embodied Models of Health: A Theoretical Framework of Mind-Body Unity

In this article, we review the literature on placebo effects and its overlap with the literature on health mindsets. We propose an Embodied Models of Health theoretical framework to account for the array of mind-body effects discussed in our literature review. While beliefs and expectations are widely acknowledged as fundamental drivers of placebo effects – physiological improvements that result exclusively and directly from psychological processes – the role of attention is often neglected in theoretical accounts of the placebo phenomenon and remains poorly understood. We argue that placebo effects and health mindsets are a product of continuous interaction between attention, beliefs, and expectations. We end by discussing novel predictions generated by the Embodied Models of Health framework and highlight opportunities to leverage the role of attention in mind-body dynamics to improve health and wellbeing.