Clemson study asks what form of transportation makes people happiest
There are many ways to move from one destination to the next, but have you ever wondered which mode of transportation would make you the happiest?
Researchers at Clemson University are investigating how emotions such as happiness, pain, stress, sadness and fatigue may vary during travel and mode of transportation.
With data collected by a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics survey, researchers have pinpointed the average mood felt by people during different types of travel.
When compared to other means of transportation such as driving or taking a train or bus, bicyclists and walkers are the happiest travelers, said Eric Morris, lead author on the study and assistant professor in Clemson’s planning, development and preservation department.
The Clemson study excluded all cases of people who were cycling or walking for fun, he said. “In general, they are very popular modes of transportation.”
[WATCH: We opened the mic on Greenville’s Main Street and conducted our own “research study” on modes of transportation and happiness. | by Susana Shetler]
Morris said changes in traditional public policy and the provision of additional bike lanes could persuade commuters to bike more often.
Cities such as Boulder, Colo., have great bike setups, he said. “Americans will ride bikes if the infrastructure is put in place.”
Morris said the Clemson study could have implications on how transportation resources are furnished.
The study’s purpose was to determine if people who are travelling are happier than those who are not, he said. Using 13,000 people who ranked how they felt while doing a variety of activities, the study focused on 70 different categories associated with transportation ranging from purpose of travel, duration and mode.
Research models suggested travel is associated with a more positive effect than the average of all other activities and highlighted that people tend to be in a better mood when traveling than when working or attending school, according to the study.
Morris said most transportation scholars feel travel is an activity done out of necessity and is something that people do not usually enjoy. Generally, travel is considered unpleasant, he said, although “our study concluded that travel is not necessarily a bad thing.”
Although study participants viewed travel as more pleasant than work or school, the activity was perceived as less positive than socializing, eating and drinking, volunteering or attending religious services.
Currently, Clemson researchers are working on a follow-up study pertaining to travel duration and whether or not people are happier on longer or shorter trips.
