The Hawthorne Effect Is Named After a Famous Productivity Experiment

The Hawthorne effect is named after a famous productivity experiment outside Chicago. Workers were moved to a special room for a study of the effects of lighting intensity and other work conditions on their productivity. After this move, the workers began to increase their output no matter what change was made in their working conditions, even when the conditions became worse. The researchers concluded that the workers felt they should work harder because they were part of a special experiment.