Lecture on the Hawthorne Effect

Introduction

• Researchers in the 1920s asked how different working conditions affect productivity in a factory.
• Surprisingly, productivity increased regardless of changes, leading to the discovery of the Hawthorne Effect.

What is the Hawthorne Effect?

• Also known as the Observer Expectancy Effect.
• Concept: People alter their behavior when they know they are being observed.
• Observation may itself be a variable affecting experimental outcomes.

Challenges in Research

• Difficulties arise when participants feel watched, potentially influencing results.
• Researchers may unintentionally skew results due to their expectations (Hawthorne Effect).

Causes of the Hawthorne Effect

1. Feedback and Observation: Participants may work harder if they know they are observed.
2. Demand Effect: Participants try to please experimenters, affecting behavior.
3. Participants' Concerns: Fear of layoffs or experiment motives may influence productivity.
4. Researcher Influence: The researcher's awareness of desired outcomes can influence results (e.g., Clever Hans Effect).

Clever Hans Effect

• Early 1900s: A horse supposedly answering arithmetic questions.
• Observed answer accuracy depended on the owner's presence/knowledge.
• Parallel to modern phenomena where desired results influence outcomes (e.g., drug-sniffing dogs).

Studies and Examples

1. Rheumatoid Arthritis Study:

   • American College of Rheumatology found conditions improved during trials and worsened after.
   • Suggests Hawthorne Effect's influence in medical studies.

2. Cerebral Palsy Study (1970s):

   • Contradictory qualitative and quantitative data.
   • Patients reported improvement, but tests did not confirm it.
   • Highlights compliance bias and demand effect.

3. Clinical Trials:

   • Participants' behavior may change due to care levels and compliance.
   • Trial Effect: Behavior change when isolated for studies.

Implications for Research

• Human behavior studies require human experiments.
• Researchers must consider effects like the Hawthorne Effect and Trial Effect.
• Challenges include maintaining normal conditions and ethical considerations.
• Need to question results and seek truth in psychology.

Conclusion

• The Hawthorne Effect shows complexities in measuring human behavior.
• Raises questions on how to set up unbiased and ethical studies.