Interactions of discomfort factors with relax in comfort perception

Laboratory Study of Factors Affecting Sitting Comfort and Discomfort 93

3.9 Interaction of discomfort factors with impression in discomfort perception

Generally, as the level of discomfort factors increased, mean discomfort level increased while interacting with different levels of impression Table 11. When the discomfort factors level was above 4, mean discomfort perception was also above 4 at different levels of impression Table 11. The results suggest that when the discomfort factors level is higher, sitters tend to perceive discomfort. At this stage, the presence of higher levels of impression becomes secondary. Discomfort factors level 4 produced in association with impression levels 5 and 6 produced mean discomfort of 4.6 and 6.0 respectively. Discomfort factors level 3 in association with impression level 1 produced mean discomfort of 4.3. Likewise discomfort factor level 5 in association with impression levels 1, 3 and 4 produced mean discomfort of 6.0, 6.0 and 5.6 respectively. These values were higher than the corresponding discomfort factors levels; these results may indicate that some other factors contribute to cause a higher level of discomfort perception. Discomfort factors level 5 in association with impression level 2 produced mean discomfort of 4.5. Likewise, discomfort factors level 6 in association with impression level 5 produced mean discomfort of 4.0. These results suggest that discomfort perception was affected by the sensation of impression at certain levels. However the interaction between discomfort factors level and impression was not significant Table 6. In previous sections we determined that a higher discomfort factor level is dominant over impression. In this interaction, mean discomfort produced was 4.5 and 4.0 which represented above-moderate and moderate levels of discomfort. These results were consistent with those of Thariq and Munasinghe under review.

3.10 Interaction of discomfort factors with relaxation in discomfort perception

According to the results obtained, mean discomfort level generally increased with discomfort factors level, while interacting with relaxation Table 12. When the discomfort factors level was above 4, mean discomfort perception was also above 4 while associating with different levels of relaxation Table 12. The results suggest that when the discomfort factors level is higher, sitters always perceive discomfort. In this case, the presence of higher levels of relaxation becomes secondary. Discomfort factors level 5 in association with relaxation levels 1, 2, and 5 all produced mean discomfort of 6.0. Likewise, discomfort factors level 4 in association with relaxation levels 2 and 5 both produced mean discomfort of 5.0. The mean discomfort values were higher than the corresponding discomfort factors levels. These results were not expected; they suggest that some other factors contributed to the higher discomfort perception. Discomfort factors level 6 in association with relaxation level 7 produced mean discomfort of 4.0. This result suggests that discomfort perception was affected by the feeling of relaxation at a certain level. One explanation for this result is that the M.G.Mohamed Thariq et al. AJE Vol.9 2009 79-98 94 sensation of relaxation is partially emotional. The previous finding in this study indicated that the sensation of relaxation was partially emotional and partially affected by biomechanical factors. However, in this and previous sections, higher discomfort factors level have been demonstrated to be dominant over higher levels of relaxation while sitting. The association of discomfort factors level 6 and relaxation level 7 was not expected. Therefore, the mean discomfort obtained was inconsistent; this inconsistent result will be explained later in this paper. The results are consistent those of Thariq and Munasinghe under review. Table 11. Interactions of impression with discomfort factors average ratings of discomfort factors in discomfort perception Discomfort factor level Impression Level 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 1.0 1.0 4.3 -- 6.0 -- 2 3.0 2.0 2.9 4.3 4.5 -- 3 2.0 3.6 3.1 4.0 6.0 -- 4 1.2 2.2 3.4 4.4 5.6 -- 5 1.6 2.7 3.1 4.6 -- 4.0 6 1.5 2.0 2.8 6.0 -- -- 7 1.0 3.0 -- -- 6.0 -- Note: ‘--‘ means combination of factors was not observed . Table 12. Interactions of relaxation with discomfort factors average ratings of discomfort factors in discomfort perception Discomfort factor level Relaxation Level 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 -- -- 4.0 -- 6.0 -- 2 3.0 2.0 1.7 5.0 5.4 -- 3 2.0 3.7 3.3 4.3 5.3 -- 4 1.3 2.4 3.6 4.2 5.0 -- 5 1.6 2.1 2.6 4.4 6.0 -- 6 1.5 2.0 3.0 5.0 6.0 -- 7 1.0 2.3 -- -- -- 4.0 Note: ‘--‘ means combination of factors was not observed . Table 13. Interactions of relief with discomfort factors average ratings of discomfort factors in discomfort perception