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Will , thanks I have been trying to remember the name of the Hawthorn effect for several days. It has been a number of years since my last stat course and like everyone else, I forget whatIi don't use. Nita will johnston wrote: > Bruce & Phil, > > The classic example of the placebo effect was a study done by the Western > Electric Division of AT&T back before Ma Bell got broken up. > > At the Hawthhorn Plant near Chicago, the company decided to test for the > changes in productivity of workers resulting from a change in light > intensity in the plant. The employees were told that there was an > experiment. One group was given new lighting just like the old system. The > other group had a different lights AND different light intensity. The > productivity of both groups increased substantially. > > The researchers came to the conclusion that both groups were aware that > they were being tested by the company "experts" and college professors and > the workerdfelt that if they were of sufficient value to the company to > have tests done on their productivity, they should try to cooperate with > the test people and produce. There were virtually no differences between > the two groups. Both groups had substantially increased > productivity...Why? .. because they were being tested and both groups > thought they had the new light intensity. > > The placebo effect is called "The Hawthorn Effect" in systems management > environments. > > Will Johnston > > ---------- > Bruce G. Rogers wrote:and Phil Tomkins replied: > In fact, I am getting curious about the placebo effect itself. In > mainstream research methodology it seems that the placebo effect is > treated as a big nuisance that has to be cancelled out. Researchers > do double-blind studies to identify the component of a result that is > NOT due to the placebo effect. If the placebo effect is so powerful > and omnipresent, just what are its capabilities and limitations > anyway, and how can we harness it and use it to our advantage?? > > > Those patients who participated did so because of their great > > concern for others. Their unselfishness, in their desire to > > contribute to the benifit of others whom they may never see, is to > > be commended as true love for their fellow human beings. Many of > > us may someday benefit from their charitable service. > > Phil Tompkins > Hoboken NJ > age 671/dx 1990