The effects of posture education on university students' classroom engagement: Focusing on upright posture and mindfulness

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K13927
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Educational psychology
• Research Institution: Momoyama Gakuin University of Education
• Principal Investigator: Murakami Yusuke 桃山学院教育大学, 教育学部, 講師 (10780190)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 姿勢 / マインドフルネス / エンゲージメント / 学習環境 / 椅子

Outline of Final Research Achievements

These studies conducted during the research period: (1) the effects of upright posture on concentration and normative consciousness in learning situations, and (2) the effects of mindfulness (the state of paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally) and upright posture on mood in learning situations. (1)It was revealed that when students attend a university classroom learning in "Haruki chair" (designed to assist good posture), they are more likely to feel the class is more enjoyable and students cut the talking and listen, than in conventional chair. (2)Studies showed that when participants practiced mindfulness meditation in Haruki chair, they tended to feel less anger and more concentration after classroom learning than in conventional chair.

Free Research Field

教育心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

従来，我が国では，「調身，調息，調心」に代表される心身一如の身体文化が存在した。授業中に発せられる「姿勢を正しましょう」という言葉には，身体的な構えを整えることで，授業に臨む心理的な構えを整えようとする意図が込められている。本研究は，こうした「良い姿勢」が，大学生の授業場面における気分や集中，授業への関与度に影響を及ぼすことを一部明らかにすることができた。昨今，学びに対する主体的で能動的な関わりが求められるが，学習内容や学習形態に限らず，学びの主体である「学習者の身体性」や学習環境へ着目することの意義を，実証的に明示できた点に意義が認められる。