Question

what is it called when people change their behavior because they know someone is watching them?

a.) attrition
b.) habituation
c.) hawthorne effect
d.) confirmation bias

Explanation:

Define the core psychological phenomenon

The question asks for the term used when individuals alter their behavior in response to their awareness of being observed. This is a well-documented phenomenon in research methodology and social psychology known as reactivity.

Analyze the given options

• a.) Attrition: This refers to the loss of participants over the course of a longitudinal study or experiment. It does not describe behavioral changes due to observation.
• b.) Habituation: This is a psychological learning process wherein there is a decrease in response to a stimulus after repeated presentations. It is not related to being watched.
• c.) Hawthorne effect: This term describes a type of reactivity in which individuals modify an aspect of their behavior in response to their awareness of being observed. It originated from studies at Western Electric's Hawthorne Works in the late 1920s and 1930s.
• d.) Confirmation bias: This is a cognitive bias involving the tendency to search for, interpret, favor, and recall information in a way that confirms one's preexisting beliefs or hypotheses.

Identify the correct match

Based on the definitions, the behavior modification resulting from the awareness of being observed is specifically called the Hawthorne effect.

Answer:

• a.) Attrition
• b.) Habituation
• c.) Hawthorne effect (Correct answer)
• d.) Confirmation bias