Your body language may shape who you are | Amy Cuddy | TED

Summary

The video script discusses the profound impact of body language on our lives, particularly focusing on the concept of 'power posing.' The speaker, Amy Cuddy, introduces the idea that by changing one's posture for just two minutes, individuals can significantly alter their hormonal balance, leading to increased feelings of power and confidence. She explains that both animals and humans exhibit certain body postures when feeling powerful or powerless, and these nonverbal cues can influence our thoughts, feelings, and even our physiological responses. Cuddy shares research findings that high-power poses can increase testosterone and decrease cortisol levels, while low-power poses have the opposite effect. She encourages the audience to adopt power poses before stressful situations to enhance their performance and self-perception. Her personal story of overcoming feelings of being an 'impostor' by 'faking it till you become it' adds a relatable and inspiring element to the talk. Cuddy concludes by emphasizing the potential for small changes in behavior to lead to significant shifts in outcomes, and she urges the audience to share this knowledge, especially with those who may lack resources and power.

Takeaways

• 🧍‍♂️ Posture can influence how we feel about ourselves and how others perceive us.
• 🤔 Nonverbal cues, such as body language, can significantly impact judgments and outcomes in social interactions.
• 📈 Power poses can lead to increased confidence and risk tolerance, as well as hormonal changes associated with power.
• 📉 Power poses can decrease stress levels, as indicated by a drop in cortisol levels.
• 🤝 The way we carry ourselves can affect our chances of success in situations like job interviews and public speaking.
• 🧘‍♀️ Even brief periods of power posing can lead to long-term changes in behavior and self-perception.
• 🚫 The speaker emphasizes that power posing should be done privately before a stressful situation, not during social interactions.
• 🧠 There is a bidirectional relationship between our bodies and minds, where each can influence the other.
• 🎓 The concept of 'fake it till you make it' is explored, suggesting that adopting a powerful stance can eventually lead to genuine feelings of power.
• 🤓 The speaker shares a personal story of overcoming feelings of inadequacy and 'impostor syndrome' through persistence and power posing.
• 💪 The message encourages individuals to try power posing and share the technique with others, especially those who may lack resources or status.

Q & A

What is the main premise of the speaker's 'no-tech life hack'?

The speaker suggests that changing one's posture for two minutes can significantly impact how one's life unfolds.

What does the speaker ask the audience to do at the beginning of the talk?

The speaker asks the audience to perform a self-audit of their body posture and how they are positioning themselves.

Why are we fascinated by body language according to the speaker?

We are fascinated by body language because it is a form of nonverbal communication that influences our judgments and inferences about others and can predict meaningful life outcomes.

What is the significance of a handshake in social interactions?

A handshake, or the lack thereof, can leave a lasting impression and can be a topic of discussion for a long time, as illustrated by the example of the policeman meeting the President of the United States.

How do social scientists study the effects of body language on judgments?

Social scientists examine how body language influences sweeping judgments and inferences, which can predict life outcomes such as hiring decisions or dating preferences.

What is the relationship between a physician's body language and the likelihood of being sued?

Researcher Nalini Ambady found that judgments of a physician's niceness based on 30-second soundless clips of interactions predict whether the physician will be sued.

What does Alex Todorov's research suggest about political candidates' faces?

Alex Todorov's research shows that judgments of political candidates' faces within one second can predict 70 percent of U.S. Senate and gubernatorial race outcomes.

What is the speaker's profession and area of interest?

The speaker is a social psychologist who studies prejudice and teaches at a competitive business school, with a particular interest in power dynamics and nonverbal expressions of power and dominance.

What are the nonverbal expressions of power and dominance in both the animal kingdom and humans?

In the animal kingdom and among humans, expressions of power and dominance involve expanding and making oneself big, stretching out, and taking up space.

What is the 'pride' expression as studied by Jessica Tracy, and how does it manifest in both sighted and congenitally blind individuals?

The 'pride' expression involves raising the arms in a V-shape with the chin slightly lifted. This expression is universal and innate, as both sighted and congenitally blind individuals exhibit it when they win a physical competition.

How do high-power and low-power individuals typically behave in a classroom setting?

High-power individuals tend to occupy the center of the room, sit spread out, and raise their hands confidently. Low-power individuals, on the other hand, may collapse into their seats, make themselves small, and raise their hands timidly.

What is the connection between body language and hormone levels?

High-power body language is associated with higher levels of testosterone (the dominance hormone) and lower levels of cortisol (the stress hormone), while low-power body language has the opposite hormonal profile.

What was the purpose of the experiment involving high-power and low-power poses?

The experiment aimed to determine if adopting high-power or low-power poses for two minutes could lead to changes in hormone levels and behaviors, such as risk tolerance and feelings of power.

What were the hormonal changes observed in the experiment?

High-power posers experienced a 20-percent increase in testosterone and a 25-percent decrease in cortisol. Low-power posers experienced a 10-percent decrease in testosterone and a 15-percent increase in cortisol.

How did the experiment's findings apply to a real-life scenario like a job interview?

The speaker suggests that adopting high-power poses before a job interview could help individuals feel more powerful and confident, leading to better performance and outcomes.

What is the speaker's personal experience with feeling like an impostor?

The speaker shares a story about struggling with feelings of being an impostor after a severe car accident that affected her academic performance and self-identity as a smart person.

What advice does the speaker give to the student who feels like she doesn't belong at Harvard?

The speaker encourages the student to 'fake it till she becomes it,' meaning to act powerful and confident until it becomes a natural part of her identity.

What is the final piece of advice the speaker gives to the audience?

The speaker advises the audience to try power posing, share the science behind it, and give it to those with no resources or power, as it can significantly change their life outcomes.