Abstract
The objective of this study is to find out the physiological and psychological responses of the young and the elderly, and to clarify the differences of the responses in transient between them under step temperature change moving from a space to another. After subjects were exposed to 26 or 28℃ air temperature in roomB during 30 minutes, they were exposed to 30℃ air temperature during 30 minutes in roomA. After this they moved to the roomB and were exposed to the same environment during 40 minutes. Experiments were repeated by involving the movement between the both of rooms where are under those environmental conditions. As the result of this study, there are significant differences in the mean skin temperature between the elderly group and the young group. Thermoregulatory ability was decreased in the elderly group as compared to the young group, with lower regulation domain of instep skin temperature. Changes in thermal sensation were slight compared to physiological response for the elderly group compared with the young group. The elderly seem to exhibit decreased sensitivity to air temperature changes.
