How Do Temperature and Humidity Affect Executive Function?

The effect of office noise on functionality has lately become the topic of much disagreement. Several studies have tried to objectively measure the effect of noise on office performance, but no consensus was attained. Studies have tried to test the effect of surrounding noise on levels of fatigue and alertness, but the results are combined. A number of researchers report that the outcomes are consistent across a large number of categories, but conclusions are frequently controversial. A unique laboratory evaluation (EQ-i) was designed for the experimental assessment of office noise. The test has been demonstrated to be a reliable instrument for quantifying the effect of sound on workplace productivity.

The EQ-i is based on two components. One part measures the cognitive processing of office workers, while another component measures the subjective response of office employees to various visual stimuli. The testing process is carried out in a quiet room with the noise of a computer turned away. A battery of tests is done on a specific set of office personnel. A subjective questionnaire is also carried out on each individual to receive information in their working habits and opinions concerning the workplace atmosphere. Following a series of tests are performed on a random sample of workplace employees, an average total score is calculated for every individual.

Several alternative explanations have been advanced to account for the outcomes of the EQ-i results. Potential explanations are that office employees were not exposed to sufficient high intensity or low intensity sound throughout the testing interval, workplace equipment was malfunctioning or inaccurate, or the results were skewed due to several confounding factors. No alternate explanation has yet to be provided that can explain the results obtained from this evaluation.

A test study was conducted to ascertain the relationship between ambient temperature and indoor lighting in a medical setting. Researchers measured indoor lighting at four different points from the office space and found a strong and significant relationship between both. The investigators attributed this relationship to the impact of light on employee's moods. Indoor temperature was shown to be negatively associated with the disposition of office workers as evidenced by a statistically significant increase in stress levels. The authors concluded that"the present review... indicates that there's a negative relationship between ambient temperature and mood among office employees."

In another study, researchers tested the effect of red vs. blue light on neurobehavioral testing. They measured neurobehavioral testing in a dimly-lit area and found no real difference in performance between conditions. However, the researchers stressed the importance of using an appropriate neurobehavioral testing protocol and executing standardized psychological tests in clinical settings. They also emphasized that more studies should be done in order to analyze the impact of low illumination on neurobehavioral testing.

A third research project tried to measure the impact of temperature on reaction time in a lab setting. Researchers measured reaction time in a dimly-lit room and found that the reaction time increased when there was an increase in room temperature. However, they worried that this wasn't a substantial effect and has been affected by the existence of different factors. For instance, a small increase in temperature diminished the quantity of beta activity. What's more, the researchers emphasized that the effect of temperature on the response time could have significant implications for executive function test.

The fourth research project tested the effect of temperature on executive function in an environment with two distinct light-sensitivity levels (daytime or dark). Two office workers, one having a day/night preference and the other with a no-light taste, participated in a job where their performance was tested with a reaction time paradigm. After completing the job, the performance of both office workers was compared. 구미op The results showed a significant main effect of temperature on the reaction time (p = 0.049). The authors concluded,"A different window of temperature benefit may donate to executive processing speed." This study demonstrated that temperature did really have a favorable impact on reaction time when it was controlled for neighboring lightness or darkness.

Overall, these studies confirm the importance of temperature for function performance. Specifically, they show that temperature can modulate numerous aspects of performance such as mood, attention, alertness, and mental functioning. Office workers are especially prone to temperature changes, which is likely due to the inherently challenging nature of the job that involves sitting before a monitor or working with extreme lighting conditions.