The Effects of Students’ Lighting Preferences on Learning and Affective States

Abstract

Throughout the day, college students experience numerous lighting variations while engaged in learning. Sometimes, certain lighting conditions are more preferred than others and may influence affective states. The purpose of this research was to distinguish whether sources of lighting and personal lighting preferences influenced students’ learning performance and affective states. Participants studied a textbook chapter on a psychological topic in a simulated college dorm room that was lit by either a full-spectrum (FS) (5000K) or warm (2700K) lighting (WL) for at least 30 minutes. Pre- and post-test on the psychological topic and their affective states (PANAS) were completed, as well as a short demographic form and lighting preference survey. Two 2x2x2 repeated measure ANOVAs were conducted on the lighting conditions, and either learning performance or affective states pre- and post-test mean scores. Three 2x2 repeated measures ANOVAs were conducted between lighting preference match, and learning performance, positive and negative affective states. Overall, students learned new information between pre- and post-tests; however, performance was not influenced by lighting conditions. These results suggest that short study sessions under different types of lighting conditions and lighting preference do not significantly influence college students’ learning performance or affective states.