How to tell a happy person: Accuracy of subjective well-being perception from texts

• DOI: 10.1007/s11031-019-09815-4
• Publication Date: 2019-11-04T05:04:53Z
• Authors: Olga Stavrova; Lena Haarmann
• Keywords: Negation; Impression formation; Subjective Well-Being

Abstract Although perceptions of subjective well-being (SWB) in unacquainted others have been shown to play a major role impression formation, little is known about how accurate such are. In two original studies and one pre-registered replication, we explored the accuracy life satisfaction happiness judgments from texts its underlying mechanisms (use linguistic cues). Participants filled measures completed brief writing task. Another sample participants judged targets’ obtained texts. All three demonstrated small moderate self-other agreement. A analysis showed that targets with higher (vs. lower) scores on SWB were less likely use negation words their texts, which allowed observers make judgment level. Two pointed at negative emotion as valid positive invalid (but often used) cues happiness, yet these effects did not replicate Study 3.