Tropical climate influences affects, sensation of fatigue and environmental perceptions (El clima tropical influye sobre los afectos, la sensación de fatiga y las percepciones del medio ambiente)

Abstract

ABSTRACT The current experimental study evaluated how a tropical climate (i.e., wet and hot environment) influences positive and negative affects, sensation of fatigue and environmental perceptions (i.e., comfort and thermal sensations). A convenience sampling of students (30 females and 30 males, M age = 21.94 years, age range: 19–28 years) who lived all the year in the French West Indies performed two conditions in Tropical Climate (TC) and in Neutral Climate (NC), counterbalanced. During each climate condition, they completed the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule and a questionnaire evaluating feeling of fatigue, thermal and comfort sensations. This original study revealed that TC reduces positive affect (PA) scores, whereas no significant statistical difference was revealed for negative affect (NA). In addition, participants revealed lower thermal and comfort sensations and a greater feeling of fatigue in TC than in NC. These results are in line with the suggestion that TC can negatively influence subjective states compared with a temperate climate. Moreover, TC could also have a potential fatigue-enhancing effect and negatively influences comfort sensations. The impact of TC on affective states is discussed.