The benefits of a shared commute:
A group of Chinese researchers propose what they call the "shared-direction effect" in an upcoming paper in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. Couples who commute in the same direction, even if they don't travel on the same train or even leave at the same time, seem to be happier together than those who don't, all other things considered. "That is, mere similarity in the direction of commuting to work increases marital satisfaction," the authors report.
Why it works:
[H]olding a cup of hot coffee (physical warmth) may lead people to judge others as friendlier (psychological warmth; in language we say things like “a warm smile”). As long as physical experience and certain concepts are metaphorically linked together, then activating one concept frequently (e.g., commute every working day) can strengthen the other concept (e.g., striving for the same goal) as well.
The Dish 