I don't think this is reliable. I've only met a handful of people in my own life who are able to actually report their state of mind without mixing in judgement

I don't think this is reliable. I've only met a handful of people in my own life who are able to actually report their state of mind without mixing in judgements about why they feel a certain way. In other words, people who can resist the influence of their emotions long enough to describe them. Most people I've met are always indicating in various ways the degree to which they are at the mercy of their own feelings.