[Buddha-l] Re: Republicans are Happier?

[Katherine Masis]

In response to Richard and Alex, I’d say that absolutely no one is in a position to “correct” another person’s self-reporting, and no therapist worth his or her salt would try to do that.  In the psychodynamic schools, if an interpretation resonates with the client, then it is probably accurate.  If it doesn’t, then it probably isn’t and the therapist discards it.
   
  Continuing with Richard’s topic on claims of accuracy, I agree that we can’t ascertain claims for inaccuracy regarding self-perceived emotions.  But neither can we verify claims for accuracy derived from self-reports.  My point is that researchers work with what they have—their goals are different from those of clinicians.
   
  Piggybacking on Erik’s remarks on cultural biases, a former colleague in Costa Rica lived in Russia for 9 years (the first 8 when it was still part of the USSR).  He said that Russians considered it in bad taste to answer “Great!” to the ordinary greeting of “How are you?”  
   
  Katherine 
   

       
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