I can only shake my head whenever I see/hear "This board/switch/keycaps will behave so and so IF you bottom out".
IF?! It is beyond my reality how a human being can type without bottoming out?! I type all the way trough he board. I have big hands, am a big dude with some muscles on me. I am literally afraid of using FR4 or Carbon fiber plates because I think I will break them or at least bend them beyond repair.
I also don't know how people consistently bottom out, I have to intentionally press the key in order to not bottom out. Also fr4 and carbon fibre will probably never break while typing even if you are typing really hard.
I can touch type without bottoming out, and usually do, but I always use clicky keyboards or at least tactile ones.
Linear switches seem creepy to me, although I do appreciate their silence.
That said, my mood is a big determinate of how hard I type, and a significant part of the time I am pounding the keys. And I feel certain that earlier in the day when I am rested I type better and gentler, and by the end of the day I am being more sloppy and striking harder.
That is probably why I like ancient IBM iron so much - it makes little difference when you double (or triple) the force that you are using.
the mood thing is interesting, I definitely feel like I type harder when I am more frustrated I had never noticed that.
Depends on my board. My home board with SA keycaps and Zealios I beat the piss out of. I am not sure why but it feels like I press very hard and loud. Maybe intentional since I enjoy the sound.
At work I use Alps Damped Creams and I don't feel like I press hard on them, very quiet.
I think it could be the tactility of the zealios that gives the impression that you are typing harder, because those switches you always have to follow through with the tactility til you bottom out. Or as you said it could be the sound making you press it harder.