| Abstract
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| | the theory, "The results of these
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| The "Hawthorne Effect' was extrapolated
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| | experiments indicated not only that
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| from, and some years after, research
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| | experimental groups who worked with
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| performed by Professor Elton Mayo and his
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| | progressively greater illumination
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| team, in the Hawthorne plant of Western
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| | produced more (which was fully expected)
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| Electric, between the years 1927 and
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| | but that groups produced more who did not
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| 1932. The research attempted to measure
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| | have more illumination, and indeed even
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| the effect of changing physical setting
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| | those groups whose illumination was
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| of working conditions on staff
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| | progressively decreased produced more.
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| performance. It is suggested that the
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| | Whatever the relation between
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| Hawthorne Effect affects outcomes because
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| | illumination and productivity, it could
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| the subjects of an experimental
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| | not be disentangled from the influence of
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| intervention are aware that they are
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| | other variables. No detailed
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| being observed and because they are
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| | interpretation of these seemingly
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| receiving extra attention. Experts are
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| | contradictory results was, therefore,
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| divided on the veracity of the Hawthorne
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| | attempted."
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| Effect, whilst others accept the
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| | Adair et al (1989) performed a set of 86
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| conclusion, but reject the experiments as
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| | experiments to test the Hawthorne Effect,
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| an unsuitable means for proving it.
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| | from which they concluded, "there was no
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| The Hawthorne Effect
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| | evidence of an overall Hawthorne effect.
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| Professor Elton Mayo of Harvard
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| | The mean effect associated with
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| University led a team of researchers that
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| | Haw¬thorne manipulations was
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| conducted a series of experiments at the
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| | non-significant, and hence such groups
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| Hawthorne plant of Western Electric, at
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| | essentially could be regarded as no
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| Cicero Illinois, between the years 1927
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| | different from a no-treatment control.
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| and 1932.
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| | Moreover, a detailed analysis of these
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| Robbins (1988) says that the Hawthorn
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| | studies by their control procedure, and
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| Effect was not derived at the time the
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| | subsequently by other moderator
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| studies were performed, but was
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| | variables, also revealed no systematic
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| extrapolated later from the results of
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| | trends to suggest a specific artefact to
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| three groups of illumination experiments
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| | pose as an alternative concern."
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| carried out at Hawthorne. These results
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| | Others suggest that the Hawthorne Effect
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| are often offered as proof of the theory.
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| | is no more that a legend, for example
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| The suggestion is that increasing
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| | Occupational Medicine (2006), quoting
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| illumination levels for the experimental
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| | Gale EAM. The Hawthorne studies-a fable
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| group resulted in increased performance,
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| | for our times? Q J Med 2004;97:439-449,
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| but subsequent and significant reductions
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| | states "These at least seem to be the
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| in illumination levels, produced further
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| | main facts behind the popular legend,
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| increases in performance, thereby proving
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| | although these particular experiments
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| that a group under examination will
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| | were never written up, the original study
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| perform better simply from the knowledge
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| | reports were lost, and the only
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| that they are being observed, and because
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| | contemporary account of them derives from
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| of special attention they receive from
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| | a few paragraphs in a trade journal'."
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| management, researchers and peers. That
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| | Despite concern with the veracity of the
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| is the effects on performance are
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| | Hawthorne Effect however, if is still
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| psychological.
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| | often quoted in contemporary research,
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| Harris (2002) gives a synopsis of the
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| | for example Tan (2004) on the Effects of
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| Effect, as is generally accepted, "The
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| | Background Music on Quality of Sleep in
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| Hawthorne Effect was formulated during
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| | Elementary School Children, "Another
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| the first time-management study, circa
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| | explanation for the significant
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| 1932, that included employee opinions and
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| | experimental effect could be attributed
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| preferences.
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| | to a Hawthorne effect. In other words,
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| Psychologists, at the Chicago-based
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| | there is a possibility that subjects
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| Hawthorne Plant of Western Electric,
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| | might be responding to the treatment due
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| employed a variety of interventions to
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| | to their awareness of participation. This
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| improve employee morale and productivity
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| | might also be the explanation for why
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| (Diaper, 1990). Independent variables
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| | subjects in the control group also showed
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| included variations in levels of
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| | improvement in their sleep quality."
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| lighting, room temperature. and length
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| | So whether the Hawthorne Effect actually
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| and scheduling of rest periods. Improved
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| | exists or not is uncertain, but even if
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| morale and increased productivity were
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| | it does, it is not viewed by some as a
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| observed, temporarily, in response to
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| | valid conclusion from the original
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| each of the interventions. Consequently,
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| | experiments performed at Hawthorne, even
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| it was concluded that the experiment,
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| | if they could be found.
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| itself, i.e., interest in and involvement
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| | References
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| of the employees, induced positive
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| | Merrett, Frank (February 2006)
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| attitudinal and behavioral responses. The
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| | ":Reflections on the Hawthorne Effect",
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| outcomes of the experiment became known
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| | "Educational Psychology" Vol 26, No. 1,
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| as the Hawthorne Effect, i.e., any change
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| | University of Birmingham, UK, pp143-146
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| in the physical environment or social
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| | Adair John G, Sharpe Donald, Huynh
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| interaction that includes input by the
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| | Cam-Loi (1989) "Hawthorne Control
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| target audience is likely to induce, at
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| | Procedures in Educational Experiments: A
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| least temporarily, measurable changes in
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| | Reconsideration of Their Use and
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| attitude or behavior."
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| | Effectiveness", University of Manitoba
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| Adair et al (1989), quoting Adair (1984),
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| | Vol. 59, No. 2, pp 215-228
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| isolated the features of the methodology
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| | (May 2006) "Occupational Medicine" Vol.56
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| that led to the Effect, "Examination of
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| | Iss 3, Oxford:, p217
|
| Hawthorne control practices of
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| | Hatch Mary J (1997) "Organisational
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| educational researchers indicates that
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| | Theory", Oxford University Press pp241,
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| three salient features of the original
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| | 242
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| studies have been identified as the
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| | Robins Stephen P (1988) "Management
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| primary source of the methodological
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| | Concepts and Applications, Second
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| artefact: the special attention subjects
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| | Edition", Prentice Hall pp41, 42
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| received from their observers and
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| | Tan, Leepeng P (Summer 2004) "The Effects
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| supervisors; awareness of their
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| | of Background Music on Quality of Sleep
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| participation in an experiment; and the
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| | in Elementary School Children", Journal
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| novelty or unique features of the
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| | of Music Therapy, 41, 2, pp128
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| experimental activity (Adair, 1984)."
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| | Harris, Charles m. (summer 2002) "is
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| However Merrett (2006) suggests that the
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| | multimedia-based instruction Hawthorne
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| experiments results from the Hawthorne
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| | revisited? Is difference the difference?
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| experiments do not necessarily support
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|
