~~Actually the differences can asserted through external and internal distractions.....I discuss these issues , along with various driving personality styles in my book---Your Personality Drives You...at Amazon...
Internal and External Distractions
What are distractions? External distractions are easily realized—ranging from bad weather to dropping our cell phones. Internal distractions, on the other hand, are our inner thoughts that can cause worry, fear, self-doubt, and physiological symptoms such as sweaty palms, headache, or a queasy stomach.
Traffic jams may reduce stress
By: Drivers.com staff
Date: Monday, 22. May 2006
Recent research at a Canadian University suggests that driving in light traffic can be more stressful for commuters than driving in heavy traffic, perhaps because heavier traffic pushes away stressful thoughts about work.
The research was presented by to the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress in Montreal last fall. Two researchers from York University, near Toronto, tracked commuters from a wide range of occupations and questioned them about how they felt about their stress load as they drove in a variety of traffic conditions.
Ph.D student Christine Wickens and her co-author, psychology professor David Wiesenthal, wondered how work stress and the stress of commuting to and from work interacted. They were suprised to find implications from their study that suggested a negative correlation.
Lighter traffic that requires "minimum cognitive resources," allows thoughts about work-related stress to creep in, raising drivers' stress rates, the researchers theorized. Heavier traffic, on the other hand, requires much more concentration on the task at hand and may consequently be less stressful, the two concluded.
A report on their study was recently published in the Journal of Applied Behavioral Research.
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All Comments (16)
Showing 1 - 16 comments
inkblotz,
Stravingus,
Baloney. Obviously this research was not conducted in Los Angeles.
Rog,
This might be possible for people that get paid to sit in their car!
Having to sit through heavy traffic causes a lot more stress.
I think this study is way off. This study is apparently relying on a person having a job that is too stressful to even think about to the point of the possibility of being late and losing it does not matter. So the traffic forces them to focus on it, and the idea of being late, losing that job, and never having to go to that job again is a plus in their mind...
sana,
i like the trffic jamm because we spend the gud time if u have ahve gud life patner
preggovictim,
My buick is gold and 20 years old but I just put dubs on it anyway
Bill,
I reduce stress by running the slow people in the left lane off the road.
Kevin L,
Personally I didn't see any correlation between the traffic condition and stressfull thought about work. There is no doubt that driving itself is a stressful job. The key point is how to keep relaxing and to be in a good mode in your commute. I think everybody must has their own way to reduce the anxiety even the angry caused by heavy traffic.
Frank L,
I wonder if new communications technologies in cars will help. For example, very heavy (and slow) traffic might make it easier to make phone calls, listen to music, etc. and feel that the time is not being completely lost but constructively used.
During my one and a half-hour commute into Atlanta I use my time in a variety of ways and I don't feel it makes me a more dangerous driver. I think I might even handle email if I'm careful, although I believe we can now get voice-to-text and text-to-voice which would make it even more practical.
Suhaib Rehman,June11,
This is an interesting research, rather it is a thought provoking idea, that how human body reacts to various traffic situations.Totally agreeing or disagreeing with the findings is not important, but more important is to learn, how to drive with a cool mind even under stress.
Andy,
what up th vuer fvierrereva
John Li,
This maybe true for the people who are tired of their job , because it's a good excuse for coming to work late. But I believe most people take heavy traffic as a headache thing, and they prefer to live in an organized world.
thinking about the situation that you are stuck in the traffic when you are on the way to meet your girl friend.
Sherry,
I don't think I will be less stressful when I am in a heavy traffic. Especilly, if it is the hot days in summer or the snowing days in winter, you will be hopeless on your way home or the way to work. However, there will be a new excuse for those people who do not want to go home on time.
"Dear, I will be late because I am in a traffic jam!"
Allan,
I spend roughly two hours on my everyday's commute. Personally, I find myself more stressful driving in heavy traffic. Not only because my time is well wasted there, I also have to watch out for the angry drivers. Well, I'm not saying the research's conclusion is wrong, it just does not apply to me. I think it depends on how the research was conducted, it could end up suggesting a totally different conclusion.
Editor,
I believe there's research showing that when drivers find that the drive to work that used to take them 45 minutes is now more than an hour and getting longer, then they get stressed and frustrated, even angry.
leyla,
being in the heavy traffic inevitably entails some stress,I dont agree with this new research.
specialy in the morning when you want to get to your job on time and you have to stock in the heavy traffic ,It makes poeple more nervous.
Minnesota Fats,
that is ok for people who have lots of time to drive to work every day and have a leisurely drive home. I don't have that luxury. In traffic i'm losing time and that is STRESS
