2013 election day is fast approaching. But do people care? A new study highlighted in a Washington Times article suggests that political apathy and a lack of civic engagement could be due to people’s commutes. The study, conducted by three political scientists from the University of Connecticut and Stony Brook University, maintains that the “depletion of psychological resources” from traveling to and from work is directly related to a political participation. Specifically, the “cognitive exertion” needed to engage in politics can be depleted during long commutes. The time spent at work, however, does not have the same negative impact. According to the study, this is because time in the workplace is associated with financial reward and is not as “ego-depleting” as waiting in traffic.
The study also discusses how socioeconomics impacts the relationship between commuting and political interest. For lower income Americans, a longer commute results in a loss in political interest, and thus a decrease in participation. But the reverse is true for higher-income Americans, who may use commuting to their advantage or associate commuting problems with higher pay.
