Effects of Automobile Commute Characteristics on Affect and Job Candidate Evaluations

Abstract

The current study assesses the effects of the commuting environment on affective states and hiring decisions. A total of 136 undergraduate females were randomly assigned to one of four conditions based on the length (10 km vs. 30 km) and level of congestion (low vs. high) during a commute. Multivariate analyses of variance indicate that affective states were differentially influenced before and during the commute between the conditions. Even the anticipatory prospect of encountering congestion led to elevations of anxiety. Subjective impedance was also found to act as a partial, and at times full, mediator that contributed to negative emotional states. Hiring decisions for unqualified candidates were determined in part by the commute that a person drove, indicating that commuting can influence subsequent work behavior.