A company whose management hoped to increase productivity selected two groups of employees to participate in a workplace study. One group had background music while they worked and the other did not. The results showed that productivity increased equally in both groups, but did not increase in other workers who were not in the study. This result is most likely an example of the Hawthorne effect.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Hawthorne effect refers to the phenomenon where individuals alter their behavior or performance in response to being observed or studied. In this scenario, the group with background music may have improved their productivity simply because they knew they were being monitored, rather than because of the music itself. The fact that productivity did not increase in other workers who were not in the study further supports the idea that the Hawthorne effect was at play.

A Company Whose Management Hoped to Increase Productivity Selected Two