Camouflage in research – the hawthorne effect

Participant observation can be an excellent way to gather qualitative data and observe real behaviours, provided the participant observer does not cause a behavioural change from the norm. Such a change in behaviour is known as the Hawthorne effect – where people modify their behaviour when they know they are being watched or studied. Though little research has been published on the influence of the Hawthorne effect in simulation studies, it is an inescapable phenomenon that can have a dramatic impact on research. Consequences of research participation for behaviors being investigated do exist, although little can be securely known about the conditions under which they operate, their mechanisms of effects, or their magnitudes. New concepts are needed to guide empiricalstudies.