Use of clothing and perceptions of thermal comfort in the home environment

The study was designed to explore possible relationships among selected factors that may affect the perception of thermal comfort in the home environment. The use of clothing in maintaining thermal comfort was of primary interest. The conceptual framework for the study suggests that three broad categories of factors may affect an individual 's perception of thermal comfort. These factors are environmental, psychological, and physiological.

A field survey exploring selected factors from each of these three categories was conducted through interviews and observations in homes. Two groups of 25 adults for a total of 50 participants living in 26 households were interviewed. An interview schedule and an instrument for recording observations were developed. In addition to factors established by other investigators as having an affect on the perception of thermal comfort, a number of exploratory items were included in the instruments.

A preliminary analysis of the two groups of participants was made to determine similarities and differences. The results of the statistical comparisons indicated that the data could be pooled reasonably for further analysis.

Because the primary objective of the study was to explore relationships, the data were analyzed by groups of variables. Two-way frequency tables were generated for gross comparisons. The chi-square test for probability of relationship and discriminant function analysis were applied to each grouping of variables.

Although the small size of the group studied and its restricted geographical location limit the applicability of the findings to other populations and locales, two broad conclusions were reached. The first was that many factors other than those which traditionally have been studied affect the perception of thermal comfort in the home environment. The second is that attitudes may affect both actions and perceptions related to thermal comfort.

Several statistically significant relationships were found between individual variables, such as the room temperature and the perception of thermal comfort, but only one group of variables appears to be useful as an indicator group. The physical characteristics of the occupants of a household can be used to predict the thermal conditions that will be maintained within the home.