Influence of indoor air temperature on human thermal comfort, motivation and performance

What the study found

Performance and motivation varied across tested temperatures; the warmest conditions were detrimental and motivation appeared to mediate part of the effect.

Limitations

Small sample; specific tasks and clothing conditions; laboratory exposure.

Neurodesign interpretation

Temperature does not act only through 'comfort.' It can change willingness to expend effort, which means productivity effects may appear before occupants describe severe discomfort.

Possible design implications

Provide adaptive thermal control and avoid sustained heat load in work requiring sustained effort.

Why it stays in the corpus

Retain for evidence that thermal effects may operate partly through motivational state.

Study design

Repeated temperature exposure

Population

36 adult participants

Setting

Controlled climate chamber

Field

Thermal environment

Mechanism

Thermoregulation, motivation, task performance

Spatial variable

Indoor air temperature

Keywords

temperature, motivation, performance, thermal comfort