The Hawthorne Effect: a fresh examination

Abstract

This paper attempts to ascertain the authenticity of both definitions of and explanations for the Hawthorne Effect which are found in the literature. The term is alleged to derive from the earliest of a series of experiments between the years 1924 and 1932 designed to establish the relationship between levels of illumination and industrial production in the Western Electric Company at Hawthorne in Chicago, Illinois. It is shown in this present paper that there is a distinct lack of clarity about the nature of the Hawthorne Effect and a consequent lack of agreement about possible courses and methods of control for research purposes. Though a method of controlling for the effect is suggested, particularly for research work with young children, there is clearly a need for further research.