I think the point still stands, the longer you spend unemployed the more likely you are to describe yourself as "looking for a job" (unless you have given up en

I think the point still stands, the longer you spend unemployed the more likely you are to describe yourself as "looking for a job" (unless you have given up entirely). If someone describes themselves as not looking for a job when they don't have one, it is possible they are just telling the truth, and when they do decide to look for a job they can find one quickly. I am pretty skeptical that thinking of yourself as looking for a job really causes you to have difficultly finding one - like you said, there isn't any readily apparent direct causative link.