According to the Hawthorne studies, employees in the experimental group primarily showed which of the following outcomes?

• A. Increased productivity due to the attention and interest shown by researchers
• B. Decreased motivation as a result of frequent changes in working conditions
• C. Improved job satisfaction only when monetary incentives were provided
• D. No significant change in performance compared to the control group

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the context of the Hawthorne studies, which were a series of experiments conducted to examine how different working conditions affected employee productivity and behavior.
2. Step 2: Recognize that the key finding from these studies was the 'Hawthorne effect,' where employees' productivity increased not necessarily because of the physical changes in the environment, but because they felt observed and valued by the researchers.
3. Step 3: Analyze the options given and identify that the increased productivity was linked to the psychological impact of attention and interest from researchers, rather than changes in monetary incentives or working conditions alone.
4. Step 4: Eliminate options that suggest decreased motivation or no significant change, as these contradict the core finding of the Hawthorne effect.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the primary outcome observed in the experimental group was increased productivity due to the attention and interest shown by researchers.