From Longman Business DictionaryHawthorne effectˈHawthorne efˌfect /ˈhɔːθɔːn ɪˌfektˈhɒːθɔːrn-/ [singular] HUMAN RESOURCES the way that the performance of workers improves when special attention is given to them during tests, even if these tests might be expected to have negative effectsSome job enrichment programmes were initially successful and then failed, suggesting that they owed their success more to the Hawthorne effect than to a deeper understanding of people. → effect
