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Abstract

Mental performance and mental functions may be negatively affected by decreases in thermal comfort as a result of large differences in temperature. Additionally, females are seen to be less content with room temperatures and actually prefer rooms with higher temperatures in comparison to males. This investigation explored the potential effect that sex plays in thermal perception and the impact it may yield on academic performance within a high school population. It was hypothesized that female students would experience an increase in academic performance as the temperature increased while males would experience the opposite effect. A quasi-experimental approach was used to address the potential correlation. A SAT preparation class at Chapin High School was asked to complete a Google form that recorded their sex and contained 24 SAT style questions. This process was repeated on three different days within the same classroom setting where the temperature was manipulated to 67, 72, and 78 degrees Fahrenheit on each day. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Tukey’s method tests were performed to analyze the relationship between thermal perception and academic performance. The ANOVA test resulted in a p-value of 0.049 between the means of temperataure and sex, which indicated that there was statistical significance regarding correlation between differences in thermal perception and academic achievement. Additionally, through Tukey’s method, the results calculated three significant T-values that served as evidence against the null hypothesis. Based on these findings, it is concluded that male academic performance increased as temperature increased, while female academic performance increased as temperature decreased.

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