Hawthorneilmiötä

Hawthorneilmiötä, also known as the Hawthorne effect, refers to the phenomenon where individuals modify or improve an aspect of their behavior in response to their awareness of being observed. This effect suggests that the attention received from researchers, supervisors, or even just the knowledge that one's actions are being scrutinized can lead to temporary changes in performance or behavior.

The original studies, conducted at the Western Electric Hawthorne Works plant in Cicero, Illinois, between 1924 and 1932, aimed to investigate the impact of lighting levels on worker productivity. Unexpectedly, productivity increased regardless of whether lighting was increased or decreased. Later research attributed these increases not to the specific environmental changes but to the attention and social dynamics that emerged from the experimental setting. The workers felt valued and that their opinions mattered, leading to improved morale and output.

While the Hawthorne effect has been widely cited, its interpretation and the robustness of the original findings have been subject to debate and re-analysis over the years. Some researchers argue that other factors, such as improved worker-management relations or the novelty of the situation, might have played a more significant role than simply being observed. Despite these critiques, the concept remains influential in fields like organizational psychology, management, and research methodology, highlighting the importance of considering the observer's influence on the observed.