# the problem with surveys and questionnaires - I find them very unenjoyable - I change so much from moment to moment, even within the same survey just from furstration with the survey ## Alternatives... - Audio or video recording with transcription + [[tone and sentiment analysis]] Self-report questionnaires like the Authentic Happiness Inventory (AHI), while widely used, face several methodological challenges inherent in measuring subjective states like happiness. A primary concern is the significant variability in human emotion and self-perception over time. An individual's reported happiness can fluctuate considerably not just from moment to moment based on immediate experiences, but also show marked variation from one day to the next, influenced by factors like sleep quality, daily stressors, or positive events [^1]. Research using methods like Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA), which captures feelings in real-time, consistently reveals substantial within-person fluctuations in affect that single-timepoint surveys may not adequately capture [^2]. Furthermore, some individuals experience more pronounced shifts in mood and well-being across seasons, suggesting that the timing of survey administration could influence results [^3]. Another significant issue is the inherent subjectivity in how individuals interpret and respond to survey questions. The meaning of terms like "happy," "satisfied," or "flourishing," and the interpretation of scale anchors (e.g., "moderately agree," "very happy") can differ substantially from person to person based on their unique life experiences, cultural background, personal expectations, and social comparison processes [^4]. What one person considers "thriving" might be viewed as merely "coping" by another, making direct comparisons of scores potentially misleading without understanding the individual's frame of reference [^5]. Finally, responses to happiness surveys are highly susceptible to contextual factors and the respondent's current state of mind. A person's mood at the exact moment of taking the survey can disproportionately influence their answers, a phenomenon known as mood-congruent judgment [^6]. For instance, someone who just had a pleasant interaction might rate their overall happiness higher than they would have an hour earlier after a frustrating experience. Similarly, the immediate environment (e.g., taking the survey in a stressful setting versus a calm one) or recent salient life events can temporarily bias self-assessments, potentially obscuring a more stable, long-term level of well-being [^4] [^7]. These state-dependent variations mean a single score may reflect transient feelings more than enduring happiness. ## Footnotes [^1]: Kuppens, P., Oravecz, Z., & Tuerlinckx, F. (2010). Feelings change: Accounting for individual differences in the temporal dynamics of affect. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 99(6), 1042–1060. doi:10.1037/a0020962 [^2]: Shiffman, S., Stone, A. A., & Hufford, M. R. (2008). Ecological momentary assessment. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 4, 1–32. doi:10.1146/annurev.clinpsy.3.022806.091415 [^3]: Harmon-Jones, E., Harmon-Jones, C., Fearn, M., Sigelman, J. D., & Johnson, P. (2008). Left frontal cortical activation and spreading activation of affective concepts. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 94(1), 1–14. (While not directly about seasons for everyone, it touches on affective neuroscience that underlies mood variations, which can have seasonal components for some, like in SAD). Note: Finding a direct academic source for general, non-clinical seasonal mood variation impacting survey scores broadly is difficult; SAD literature is more specific. A more general point about temporal variation is often made instead. For SAD specifically: Magnusson, A. (2000). An overview of epidemiological studies on seasonal affective disorder. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 101(3), 176-184. doi:10.1034/j.1600-0447.2000.101003176.x [^4]: Schwarz, N., & Strack, F. (1999). Reports of subjective well-being: Judgmental processes and their methodological implications. In D. Kahneman, E. Diener, & N. Schwarz (Eds.), Well-being: The foundations of hedonic psychology (pp. 61–84). Russell Sage Foundation. [^5]: Diener, E., Suh, E. M., Lucas, R. E., & Smith, H. L. (1999). Subjective well-being: Three decades of progress. Psychological Bulletin, 125(2), 276–302. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.125.2.276 [^6]: Forgas, J. P. (1995). Mood and judgment: The affect infusion model (AIM). Psychological Bulletin, 117(1), 39–66. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.117.1.39 [^7]: Robinson, M. D., & Clore, G. L. (2002). Belief and feeling: Evidence for an accessibility model of emotional self-report. Psychological Bulletin, 128(6), 934–960. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.128.6.934