Chapter III (Study Frameworks)

Chapter III

STUDY FRAMEWORK

Theoretical Framework

In our study about the impacts of students’ residences to their study habits, we identified some possible reasons why a student’s residence could give an impact to his or her study habits. The environmental theory by environmental psychologists shows much relevance to this study.

Environmental Theory by Environmental Psychologists

            The environmental theory supposes the importance of heredity and environment in shaping human lives.

According to the theory by environmental psychologists Murray and Herrnstein (1994), human behavior and the environment are very much interconnected. They have studied the relationship between human behavior and the physical environment including noise, pollution, and architectural design. A certain behavior or behaviors may produce environmental conditions that can affect future behavior of an individual. Furthermore, in a positive and enriching environment, most individuals have potential for high levels of human development. This development includes behavior, personality, and intelligence of an individual which are influenced by environmental factors such as nutrition, emotional climate of the residence, the social class, parental feedback, and culture in which a child is raised. The adaptation of an individual to his or her environment and its factors shows much relevance in shaping his or her development.

In figure 1 on the next page, the diagram shows the flow of the factors in shaping an individual’s human development based on the environmental theory by Murray and Herrnstein. In the said diagram, we can comprehend that the environment influences an individual in his or her human development. The diagram can establish on how environmental factors can affect an individual that could eventually give an effect to his or her development.

Conceptual Framework

            The researchers’ study concerns the impacts of residence of UP Cebu first year students on their study habits; the environmental theory is compatible in this study since the variables in this study fit the theory by Charles Murray and Richard Herrnstein (1994).  Furthermore, the theory states that the physical environment can shape a student.

Applying the environmental theory, figure 2 shows that the environmental factors are relevant in determining the child’s development; the environment generates a situation that can affect a person’s behavior, particularly the student’s study habits.

The living environments of students are different. These living environments can be considered as the student’s current residence. The living environments can be categorized as on-campus and the off-campus. On-campus refers to the student living inside the campus, which is the dorm. The off-campus can be boarding houses, apartments and also dorms that are outside the student’s campus.

Base on the current residence of the student, on-campus or the off-campus, there would be a relationship or interaction between the student and the living environment. The living environment is beneficial in a person’s development. This interaction would then affect the student’s study habits positively or negatively.

Operational Framework

            The living environment, classified as on-campus and off-campus, of a student can give an impact on his or her human development. The student’s development can be associated with the student’s study habits.

An environment is not merely the buildings around an individual, but it is a combination of the surroundings and what’s in it. This impact could either be positive or negative to his or her development which also includes the student’s study habits.

Figure 3 explains the flow of the how and what factors can affect the students study habits base on his or her environment. The living environment of a student is just one of the many impacts that can affect a student’s study habits. Such environments could be a dorm, boarding house, apartment, or their home. The living environment of a student is just one of the many impacts that can affect a student’s study habits.

People they live with such as co-students, family, or relatives can contribute to the impacts of their study habits. The physical condition of the living environment is also a factor to be considered in shaping a student’s human development and study habits. Some of these physical factors could be the ventilation of the area, the space, lighting, and the environmental noise.

There could also be other factors such as technologies or gadgets which are now very common in our generation. Technologies do make life easier specially things related to studies but this could also tempt students to make use of the technologies the other way around, which is using it for games and other things that are not in relation to the students’ studies.

There are many factors as far as student’s study habits are concerned. This all depends on how a student looks at it and how he or she handles it. An environment shapes and individual, and whatever shapes and individual, shapes his or her human development.