>The same problem pertains to time use - people will probably skip
>questionable or illicit activities (like jerking off, watching porn, smoking
>dope, or even taking a nap) and report more socially desirable ones. And by
>doing diaries they have more opportunities to do than undetected i.e.
>provide logical responses that add to 24 hours.
yup. that's why they also have been known to have the time diary accompanies by one recorded by one spouse about the other spouse's use of time. That's a check on what people actually do.
e.g., taking a half hour dump isn't going to be recorded as a half hour dump but maybe 5 minute dump and 25 with the kiddles. :) i recall sitting on a conference panel where a fellow panelist reported (as a footnote) that women lied about how much time they spent putting on makeup, not wanting to admit that they spent that much time. ha.
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