BASICS

The Hawthorne Effect and Behavioral Studies

By Kendra Cherry Reviewed by David Susman, PhD Updated on October 13, 2020

Nick David / Getty Images

Table of Contents
History

Subsequent Research

Other Explanations

How to Avoid

The Hawthorne e ect is a term referring to the tendency of some people to

work harder and perform better when they are participants in an
work harder and perform better when they are participants in an Ad
experiment. The term is often used to suggest that individuals may change

their behavior due to the attention they are receiving from researchers
rather than because of any manipulation of independent variables.

The Hawthorne e ect has been widely discussed in psychology textbooks,

particularly those devoted to industrial and organizational psychology.
However, research suggests that many of the original claims made about
the e ect may be overstated.

History
The Hawthorne e ect was rst described in the 1950s by researcher Henry
A. Landsberger during his analysis of experiments conducted during the
1920s and 1930s. The phenomenon is named after the location where the
experiments took place, Western Electric’s Hawthorne Works electric
company just outside of Hawthorne, Illinois.

The electric company had commissioned research to determine if there was

a relationship between productivity and work environments. The original
purpose of the Hawthorne studies was to examine how di erent aspects of
the work environment, such as lighting, the timing of breaks, and the
length of the workday, had on worker productivity.

In the most famous of the experiments, the focus of the study was to
determine if increasing or decreasing the amount of light that workers
received would have an e ect on how productive workers were during their
shifts. In the original study, employee productivity seemed to increase due
shifts. In the original study, employee productivity seemed to increase due
Ad
to the changes but then decreased once the experiment was over.

What the researchers in the original studies found was that almost any
change to the experimental conditions led to increases in productivity. For
example, productivity increased when illumination was decreased to the
levels of candlelight, when breaks were eliminated entirely, and when the
workday was lengthened.

The researchers concluded that workers were responding to the

increased attention from supervisors. This suggested that productivity
increased due to attention and not because of changes in the
experimental variables.

Landsberger de ned the Hawthorne e ect as a short-term improvement in

performance caused by observing workers. Researchers and managers
quickly latched on to these ndings. Later studies suggested, however, that
these initial conclusions did not re ect what really happening.

The term Hawthorne e ect remains widely in use to describe increases in

productivity due to participation in a study, yet additional studies have
often o ered little support or have even failed to nd the e ect at all.

Subsequent Research
Later research into the Hawthorne e ect suggested that the original results
may have been overstated. In 2009, researchers at the University of Chicago
l d h ld df d h h f l l d l
reanalyzed the original data and found that other factors also played a role Ad

in productivity and that the e ect originally described was weak at best.

Researchers also uncovered the original data from the Hawthorne studies
and found that many of the later reported claims about the ndings are
simply not supported by the data. They did nd, however, more subtle
displays of a possible Hawthorne e ect. [1]

While some additional studies failed to nd strong evidence of the

Hawthorne e ect, a 2014 systematic review published in the Journal of
Clinical Epidemiology found that research participation e ects do exist.
After looking at the results of 19 di erent studies, the researchers concluded
that these e ects clearly happen, but more research needs to be done in
order to determine how they work, the impact they have, and why they
occur. [2]

Other Explanations
While the Hawthorne e ect may have an in uence on participant behavior
in experiments, there may also be other factors that play a part in these
changes. Some factors that may in uence improvements in productivity
include:

Demand characteristics: In experiments, researchers sometimes display

subtle clues that let participants know what they are hoping to nd. As a
result, subjects will alter their behavior to help con rm the
experimenter’s hypothesis.
Novelty e ects: The novelty of having experimenters observing behavior
might also play a role This can lead to an initial increase in performance
might also play a role. This can lead to an initial increase in performance Ad
and productivity that may eventually level o as the experiment continues.

Performance feedback: In situations involving worker productivity,

increased attention from experimenters also resulted in increased
performance feedback. This increased feedback might actually lead to an
improvement in productivity.

While the Hawthorne e ect has often been overstated, the term is still
useful as a general explanation for psychological factors that can a ect
how people behave in an experiment.

How to Reduce the Hawthorne Effect

In order for researchers to trust the results of experiments, it is essential to
minimize potential problems and sources of bias like the Hawthorne e ect.
So what can researchers do to minimize these e ects in their experimental
studies?

Conduct experiments in natural settings: One way to help eliminate or

minimize demand characteristics and other potential sources of
experimental bias is to utilize naturalistic observation techniques. However,
this is simply not always possible.
Make responses completely anonymous: Another way to combat this form
of bias is to make the participants' responses in an experiment completely
anonymous or con dential. This way, participants may be less likely to alter
their behavior as a result of taking part in an experiment.
 gp p
Ad

A Word From Verywell

Many of the original ndings of the Hawthorne studies have since been
found to be either overstated or erroneous, but the term has become widely
used in psychology, economics, business, and other areas. More recent
ndings support the idea that these e ects do happen, but how much of an
impact they actually have on results remains in question. Today, the term is
still often used to refer to changes in behavior that can result from taking
part in an experiment.

Share Flip Email Text

Was this page helpful?

Article Sources

Related Articles

MENTAL HEALTH NEWS

Humor Promotes Spread and Retention of News, Study Finds

Fact checked by Rich Scherr
 Ad

HAPPINESS
6 Ways to Feel Better About Your Job
By Kendra Cherry

BASICS

How Experimental Psychology Studies Behavior

Fact checked by Sean Blackburn
STUDENT RESOURCES Ad

18 Psychology Research Terms You Need to Know

By Kendra Cherry

MENTAL HEALTH NEWS

Adverse Childhood Experiences Linked to Justice System
Contact
Fact checked by Rich Scherr

BASICS
Why Using Applied Research Is Important for Psychologists
Why Using Applied Research Is Important for Psychologists Ad

Fact checked by Sean Blackburn

HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHIES

The Most Notorious Social Psychology Experiments
Fact checked by Emily Swaim

THEORIES
What Makes Human Factors Psychology Different?
Fact checked by Shereen Lehman, MS

STUDENT RESOURCES

How Random Selection Is Used In Research

How Random Selection Is Used In Research Ad

Fact checked by Emily Swaim

THEORIES

How Different Branches of Psychology Study the Brain and

Behavior
Reviewed by David Susman, PhD

MENTAL HEALTH NEWS

Male Managers Hold Greater Stigmas Against Workplace
Depression, Study Says
Fact checked by Rich Scherr
 Ad

DEPRESSION

Are Some People More Prone to Depression?

Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD

Daily Tips for a Healthy Mind to Your Inbox

ONE-TAP SIGN UP

Follow Us

Mental Health A-Z

Self-Improvement
Psychology
News

Our Review Board About Us

Editorial Process Anti-Racism Pledge

Privacy Policy In the News

Cookie Policy Advertise

Terms of Use Careers

California Privacy Notice Contact

Visit our other Verywell sites:

Ⓒ 2021 Ab t I (D td h) All i ht d
Ⓒ 2021 About, Inc. (Dotdash) — All rights reserved Ad

Verywell Mind is part of the Dotdash publishing family.