Two studies tested the hypothesis that self‐reports of emotional experiences contain components of impression‐management and self‐deception. In study 1, subjects provided retrospective self‐reports of the frequency, intensity and duration of 14 positive and 14 negative emotions. Subjects also completed measures of impression‐management and self‐deception. Correlational analyses confirmed that the impression‐management and self‐deception measures were correlated significantly with the reported frequency, intensity and duration of the negative emotions. Self‐deception, but not impression‐management, was correlated with ratings of the positive emotions. The self‐report biases associated with negative emotions were further investigated in study 2. Correlations were computed among measures of impression‐management, self‐deception and dimensions of anger. Consistent with study 1, the results showed that impression‐management and self‐deception scores are correlated significantly with self‐reported dimensions of anger. The need for a self‐presentational approach to the study of