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The purpose of placebo buttons

If you ever needed to cross a busy road in any city, chances are you wondered whether pedestrian buttons actually make your waiting time shorter.

Berlin crossing, no buttons
Berlin crossing, no buttons

Some of them probably don’t: they’re called placebo buttons. They do have a purpose though, as explained in this 2018 article by Jacopo Prisco on CNN. My long-time curiosity has finally been satisfied, and I hope yours will be too.

🔗 Read the article (on CNN)

Photo © Silvia Maggi

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