Impact of Temperature Variation on Human Behaviour and Cognition
Creators: name: Abbasi, Summera Maqbool Abbasi
Publisher: name: RMIT University
Year: 2024
Subjects: classificationCode: 380199
subject: Applied economics not elsewhere classified

description: The thesis aims to examine the impact of temperature on human behaviour and cognition. This research is important as global warming increases, it causes a significant shift in temperature patterns, directly impacting human living conditions. These temperature changes are increasingly recognised as powerful influences on human functioning, affecting cognitive abilities, emotional states, and social behaviours. This thesis is comprised of three related chapters; the first empirical chapter examines the impact of temperature variations on human violent behaviour, specifically focusing on intimate partner violence against women in India. This is particularly relevant since domestic violence constitutes the largest share of all reported crimes against women in India (NCRB, 2016). The first empirical study utilises a two-part analytical approach to examine the effect of temperature on intimate partner violence. The first part of the analysis uses the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4), a cross-sectional dataset to examine the correlations between temperature and intimate partner violence. Complementing this analysis, the second part of the chapter uses the longitudinal data from the India Human Development Survey (IHDS), to explore the causal association between temperature and intimate partner violence. Temperature data is taken from Terrestrial Air Temperature: 1900-2017 archives. The findings indicate that temperature deviations result in an increase in intimate partner violence, primarily driven by an increase in less severe forms of violence. Results also suggest alcohol consumption as a potential mediator in the relationship between temperature and intimate partner violence. 
Temperature can significantly impact various aspects of human functioning and development, particularly during the formative years of childhood. Building on this principle, the second empirical study of the thesis investigates the impact of temperature on children's cognitive functioning in Australia. This study examines the cognitive performance of children, by utilising the National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) test scores in reading, language conventions, and numeracy. The study employs data from the Longitudinal Survey of Australian Children (LSAC), the National Assessment Program—Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) test scores, and daily postcode level temperature data taken from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). The findings indicate a nonlinear relationship between temperature and NAPLAN test scores, suggesting that at higher temperatures the children’s performance decreases. The third empirical study of the thesis focuses on the effect of extreme temperature deviations, hot and cold on adolescent’s prosocial behaviour. This chapter uses panel data for the B cohort, in the Longitudinal Survey of Australian Children (LSAC). Prosocial behaviour is measured using the parent-reported prosocial subscale Goodman’s Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). The Cronbach's alpha for the SDQ prosocial scale is 0.71, which indicates an acceptable level of internal consistency. Major findings indicate that hot temperature deviations are negatively associated with adolescents’ prosocial behaviour. In addition, results suggest that health is a potential mediator in the relationship between extreme temperature and adolescents’ prosocial behaviour.
The thesis employs different temperature measures to investigate the impact of temperature variations on human behaviour and cognition. The use of various temperature measures is driven by the nature of the outcomes being studied. The thesis contributes by providing a causal analysis of the impact of temperature on human functioning particularly social behaviour and cognitive functioning across varying socioeconomic contexts. This research holds significant value as it offers critical insights that can guide decision-making processes and strategy development across various disciplines, including policy-making, economic planning, educational practices, psychological studies, and public health initiatives.