[WikiEN-l] Hawthorne effect

[Daniel P. B. Smith]

> From: David Gerard <fun at thingy.apana.org.au>
>

> I vaguely recall workplace studies where changing *anything* increased
> productivity - it wasn't the new setting, it was the fact of change.

That would be the "Hawthorne effect:"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawthorne_effect

"The Hawthorne effect refers to improvements in productivity or  
quality which result not so much because of intended changes to  
working conditions, but mainly because the workers are aware of extra  
attention being paid to them."