Final answer:
The Hawthorne effect occurs when people change their behavior because they know they are being observed, which can lead to improved performance. Role ambiguity, on the other hand, generally decreases performance and job satisfaction. The claim that role ambiguity improves performance is false.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Hawthorne effect refers to a phenomenon where individuals alter their behavior in response to their awareness of being observed. The term was coined from studies conducted at the Hawthorne Works of the Western Electric Company, where researchers discovered that simply paying attention to workers, regardless of the physical changes made, improved performance. This suggests that increased observation leads to better performance, rather than role ambiguity or simply high expectations from supervisors.
Role ambiguity, in contrast, tends to lower performance, engagement, and job satisfaction because it creates uncertainty and stress among employees who do not have clear expectations or an understanding of their job responsibilities. As such, the assertion that role ambiguity leads to increased performance is false. Similarly, while high expectations might lead a supervisor to perceive better performance due to bias, they do not inherently result in higher actual performance without other supportive actions or conditions.
Performance can indeed be affected by multiple factors, including the perceptual biases of supervisors and the awareness of observation by the subjects. Management strategies like mentoring, job autonomy, and acknowledgment of employees' role importance have been found to be positively associated with job satisfaction and organizational commitment, reflecting the multifaceted nature of work performance and engagement.