CONTROLLED CLIMATES AND HUMAN VARIATION: UBIQUITOUS AIR CONDITIONING AND LOWERING HEAT THRESHOLDS IN A HOTTER WORLD

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dc.contributor.advisorHutchinson, Janis F.
dc.contributor.committeeMemberWidmer, Randolph J.
dc.contributor.committeeMemberBreslin, Whitney
dc.creatorDurham, Gabriel B.
dc.date.accessioned2016-09-03T23:26:38Z
dc.date.available2016-09-03T23:26:38Z
dc.date.createdMay 2016
dc.date.issued2016-05
dc.date.updated2016-09-03T23:26:38Z
dc.description.abstractThis project assessed how ubiquitous air conditioning is affecting human biological and cultural adaptation to heat. Big data from the “CDC Environmental Health Tracker” on morbidity and air conditioning (AC) usage was used to identify relevant Texan and Floridian populations; who were then anonymously interviewed regarding AC use, hot weather exposure, and heat related illness. IBM-SPSS was used to analyze both quantitative and qualitative variables. A final sample of 13 participants from each state between the ages of 21-28 was selected. In this population, AC usage was strongly linked to increased irritability in the heat along with resulting correlations with heat related illness (r = .469, p = .005). Qualitatively, a culture of dependency on air conditioning is shown in Texas while Floridians took advantage of “beach culture” more often. These findings link air conditioning use to the health risks of inactivity along with identified trends in biological maladaptation.
dc.description.departmentComparative Cultural Studies, Department of
dc.format.digitalOriginborn digital
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdf
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10657/1488
dc.language.isoeng
dc.rightsThe author of this work is the copyright owner. UH Libraries and the Texas Digital Library have their permission to store and provide access to this work. Further transmission, reproduction, or presentation of this work is prohibited except with permission of the author(s).
dc.subjectAnthropology
dc.subjectAdaptability
dc.subjectAir conditioning
dc.subjectClimate change
dc.subjectSustainability
dc.subjectExtreme heat
dc.subjectCulture
dc.subjectBiology
dc.titleCONTROLLED CLIMATES AND HUMAN VARIATION: UBIQUITOUS AIR CONDITIONING AND LOWERING HEAT THRESHOLDS IN A HOTTER WORLD
dc.type.dcmiText
dc.type.genreThesis
thesis.degree.collegeCollege of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
thesis.degree.departmentComparative Cultural Studies, Department of
thesis.degree.disciplineAnthropology
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Houston
thesis.degree.levelMasters
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Arts

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