Fluorescent Lighting’s Impact on Academic Performance of High Schoolers

Abstract

Fluorescent Lighting maintains its prominence in schools, offices, and businesses across the country due to its cheapness and effectiveness, though its nature can lead to headaches, eye discomfort, or even inability to focus. While previous researchers have delved into how this lighting affects elementary-age students, college students, and adults outside of schools, high schoolers spend far more time under fluorescent lighting averaging 7 hours a day, 5 days a week, four weeks a month, and 10 months a year. Furthermore, this extended exposure can result in more severe effects of fluorescent lighting, leaving students at a disadvantage in the classroom. Utilizing an online IQ test and symptom pre/post-tests, high school students were examined under fluorescent lighting, natural lighting, and darkened lighting with their IQ score, time needed to complete the exam, and symptom prevalence measured. The average IQ score for fluorescent lighting was 123.4 whereas for the natural lighting trial, the average score was 130.4 and darkened lighting had an average score of 127.4, and 67% of scores under fluorescent lighting were 125.5 or below whereas natural lighting demonstrated 83% of scores being 125.5 or above (125.5 was the median number out of the entire data set). Similarly,  91% of participants under fluorescent lighting needed 11 minutes and 23 seconds or more to complete the test whereas 83% of participants under natural lighting needed 11’23” or less to complete the test (11' 23” was the median number out of all the data collected).