Preferred Seat Research Articles

Seating Assessment and Management in a Nursing Home Population

This paper reports the findings of assessing body alignment and seating of residents in a nursing home. A total of 67 residents were referred for assessment, with the objective of obtaining optimal body alignment and positioning in a wheelchair or other preferred seating device. Intervention was required in 54 percent to improve faulty posture and alignment. The most common sitting problem was pelvic obliquity while sitting on sling seat upholstery in a wheelchair. A solid seat insert with a cushion was the most common recommendation made (31%). An ambulation program was recommended for 13%, and three customized wheelchairs were recommended.

Seating Assessment and Management in a Nursing Home Population

This paper reports the findings of assessing body alignment and seating of residents in a nursing home. A total of 67 residents were referred for assessment, with the objective of obtaining optimal body alignment and positioning in a wheelchair or other preferred seating device. Intervention was required in 54 percent to improve faulty posture and alignment. The most common sitting problem was pelvic obliquity while sitting on sling seat upholstery in a wheelchair. A solid seat insert with a cushion was the most common recommendation made (31%). An ambulation program was recommended for 13%, and three customized wheelchairs were recommended.

An analysis of selected classroom spatial arrangements

The aim of the study was to examine students' preferences concerning eight selected classroom seating arrangements. The subjects stated their preferences for particular arrangements as well as individual seats, which was done in relation to two kinds of teacher: T +, evoking positive feelings, and T -, evoking a negative attitude. Differences among seating arrangements have been analyzed in terms of four criteria: teacher-group inclusion, physical barriers, orientation, and interactional relation between participants. The results show that the arrangements preferred for T + are associated with inclusion or semi-inclusion, lack of barriers, direct or corner orientation, and T-S interactional relation on the one-to-one basis, while the arrangements preferred for T - involve exclusion, presence of barriers, direct orientation, and T-S relation on the one-to-many basis. In contrast to T +, for T - the range of preferred seats is narrower and there is more agreement as to which seat is the best. The choice of a seat involves an optimal combination of distance, orientation, and barriers, and while for T - this indicates a tendency for maximum withdrawal, for T + two opposite tendencies have to be counterbalanced: approach and withdrawal. Either tendency can be affected by factors other than one's positive or negative attitude to T.

Interaction of sex and sex role in response to violations of preferred seating arrangements

Previous studies have indicated that men respond negatively to face-to-face invasion by strangers; females respond negatively to side-by-side invasion by strangers. In the first of two studies, men and women with an androgynous or traditional sex role were subjected to a face-to-face invasion by a same-sexed stranger. Men with a traditional sex role and women with an androgynous sex role felt more crowded (p<.05) than androgynous men and traditional women. Perceptions of crowding in these two groups were also accompanied by performance decrements as a result of the face-to-face invasion. In the second study, androgynous and traditional men and women were subjected to a side-by-side invasion. Women with a traditional sex role felt more crowded than all other groups (p<.05). There were no differences in perceptions of crowding among the other groups of subjects. Performance decrements were found only in women with a traditional orientation.

Maximal Pedal Forces Exertable by Weak Females

The maximum capability of weak females to actuate manual brake systems and power brake systems with power failure depends upon a number of variables. The following variables will be discussed and preliminary conclusions made on their quantitative effect: percentile of population to be covered, sex, age, force within a trial, repeated trials, left vs right foot, static vs moving vehicle, location of pedal to driver and seat, and preferred seat location. Using many assumptions and skimpy data, a 5% USA female, seated in a properly adjusted seat, for a panic stop will exert about 215 N in a moving, full-size USA vehicle with power brake failure.