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Bianca is conducting an experiment to determine how temperatures affect the productivity of employees. she has just completed the first phase of her experiment, in which she had a group of employees perform job-related tasks in a special room where the temperature was 10 degrees cooler than on the factory floor. the employees in the experimental group consistently outperformed employees in the factory. the hawthorne effect suggests that the most likely reason for this improvement in performance is that the cooler working conditions allowed the employees in the experiment to work harder without getting tired.

User Ddofborg
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Final answer:

The Hawthorne effect describes changes in behavior that occur when individuals are aware that they are being observed, as shown in the studies at Hawthorne Works. It suggests that the increased performance of employees in cooler conditions might also be due to being observed, not just the temperature. Researchers must account for this effect in study designs to avoid skewed results.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Hawthorne effect is a psychological phenomenon that refers to the change in behavior observed when individuals know that they are being watched or studied. This concept emanates from a series of studies conducted at Western Electric's Hawthorne Works during the late 1920s and early 1930s. Researchers, including Elton Mayo, set out to analyze the effects of the physical work environment on employee productivity but discovered that the social and psychological factors had an even greater impact. This included the influence of being observed by the researchers, which by itself led to an increase in worker productivity.

The correct answer to the question about the Hawthorne effect is option d: The attention of researchers on subjects causes the effect the experimenter is looking for. This implies that the increase in the employees' performance in the cooler room may not be solely due to the temperature but also because the employees knew they were being observed as part of an experiment.

It is crucial for researchers to be aware of the Hawthorne effect when designing and interpreting studies as it can lead to misleading conclusions if not properly controlled for. The effect reveals the complexity of human psychology in the workplace and the importance of considering both physical and social variables when evaluating productivity.

User Rochie
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what are you asking as an abriviation
User Vasu Adari
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