Room Flexibility and Space Use in a Dormitory

Abstract

Room-flexibility was defined as the extent to which furniture in a room could be moved. In a 2 x 2 design, ten flexible rooms and ten comparable, nonflexible rooms were selected in college dormitories. Each room housed two students, either male or female. Residents were interviewed, and room-use was unobtrusively observed. So-called flexible rooms were rated as more flexible; males gave higher flexibility ratings than did females. Residents of flexible rooms reported more frequent interpersonal recreational activities than residents of nonflexible rooms. Females in nonflexible rooms reported relatively infrequent use of rooms for interpersonal task activities. Observations of room-use indicated the greatest number of visitors in the female-flexible condition, and fewest in the female-nonflexible condition. In a marginally significant effect, residents of flexible rooms spent more time in their rooms than residents of nonflexible rooms. Results suggested that room flexibility enhances interpersonal activities, especially among females.