Proximity and Student Density as Ecological Variables in a College Classroom

Abstract

A study of the relationship between student grades and: (a) proximity (distance from the student to the instructor), (b) centrality (seating in the center of the room compared to seating toward the sides), (c) student density (presence of other students to the front, sides, and back of the student), and (d) aisle seating is reported. Volunteer students (N = 141), who selected their own seats in two Introductory Psychology classes, served as subjects. Students who occupied the front rows received higher grades than those who sat farther back. Centrality, student density, and aisle seating were not related to grades. Although these findings cannot be generalized freely, they indicate the value of studying ecological factors in classrooms.