Hawthorne Experiments

The video discusses the Hawthorne studies conducted at a Western Electric Company facility near Chicago. These studies aimed to find ways to improve worker productivity. A key experiment involved varying the amount of light to see its effect on productivity. Surprisingly, even in low light conditions, productivity was higher than the baseline. This led to the discovery of the Hawthorne effect, which suggests that people change their behavior when they know they are being observed.

What was the primary focus of the studies conducted at the Hawthorne location?

How did the experimenters determine the baseline productivity of the workers?

What correlation was observed between the amount of light and worker productivity?

What were the conditions under which worker productivity was found to be lower than the bright light condition?

What is the Hawthorne effect and how does it influence worker behavior?