The Characteristics and Needs of Computer Furniture for the Adolescent

According to the Korean National Statistics Office(KNSO), more than 90% of Korean adolescents aged from 15 to 19 use a computer for more than 10 hours per week. The KNSO also reveals that this age group mostly uses a computer in their own room, followed by a commercial place. It is also found that the house for the adolescent is not simply a physical environment, but is rather a center of their personal lives where their personal and social developments are formed. Therefore, the physical environment where computers are used is very important. The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics and needs of computer furniture for the adolescent. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaires and 414 adolescents participated. The results of this study are as follows: (1) Most of the respondents(42%) used the internet for less than one hour per day and it was used for community visits and operations, game, and chat rooms. (2) The desks where computers were used were specially designed and made of wood. Chairs were typically height adjustable with armrests and there was no task lighting for computer use. (3) The preferences of computer furniture were chairs with a high back, casters and armrests. The overall satisfaction of individual computer rooms was low. However, it is important for an adolescent to be provided with a user friendly environment for sound growth and development. Further study is therefore needed regarding environmental variables through empirical study.

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