Where Did the Hawthorne Effect Study Take Place?

The Hawthorne effect refers to a behavioral reactivity phenomenon where individuals modify their behavior due to their awareness of being observed. This effect was notably observed during a series of studies conducted at the Hawthorne Works, a Western Electric factory located in the Hawthorne suburb of Chicago during the late 1920s and early 1930s. However, the study's findings were initially misunderstood and have since been widely discussed in the field of social science research.

Origins of the Hawthorne Effect

The term 'Hawthorne effect' was coined during experiments conducted at Western Electric's factory in the Hawthorne suburb of Chicago. These experiments ran from the late 1920s to the early 1930s. During these studies, it was observed that changes in workers' conditions, such as lighting, and working hours, seemed to have no consistent impact on productivity. This unexpectedly led to the realization that the mere act of being observed influenced their behavior.

The Context and Setting of the Hawthorne Studies

The Hawthorne works, a Western Electric factory in Cicero, Illinois, was the site of these groundbreaking studies. The research was conducted in a controlled environment with workers making electrical relays. Between 1924 and 1927, experiments involved altering various aspects of the workplace, including lighting conditions, breaks, time of work, and wages. Notably, productivity levels did not align with the expected outcomes of these changes.

The Elton Mayo Studies and the Hawthorne Effect

From 1928 to 1932, more rigorous studies were carried out under the direction of Elton Mayo, a prominent figure in the field of management. These studies focused on a smaller group of workers, including five women, to investigate the impact of various workplace changes on productivity. Despite the intention to rigorously document and analyze these changes, the study was methodologically flawed and did not permit any firm conclusions to be drawn.

Understanding the Hawthorne Effect Today

The term 'Hawthorne effect' has come to describe the idea that human subjects change their behavior simply because they know they are being observed, which can often lead to distorted research outcomes. Today, researchers are increasingly aware of this phenomenon and strive to control for it in their studies. The Hawthorne Works, though now long closed, remains a seminal location in the field of social science, serving as a cautionary tale about the subtleties of human subjectivity in research.

The Hawthorne effect studies conducted between 1924 and 1932 at the Hawthorne Works, a Western Electric factory in Cicero, outside Chicago, laid the groundwork for much of modern social science research. Recognizing and understanding this effect remains crucial for ensuring the validity and reliability of experimental and observational studies in the future.

Keywords: Hawthorne effect, Hawthorne studies, Western Electric factory