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    “Your Body Language May Shape Who You Are” by Amy Cuddy

    Görkem Gümüştekin • public
    • 3 min read
    “Your Body Language May Shape Who You Are” by Amy Cuddy

    Table of contents

    Cuddy reveals the connection between body language and self-perception, showing how adopting confident postures can positively influence our sense of self and interactions with others.

    For Key Ideas, Questions and Quotes from this talk, you can scroll below.

    Amy Cuddy gave this talk at the TED Conference. All rights to the speech and the video above belong to TED.

    About Amy Cuddy

    Amy Joy Casselberry Cuddy is an American social psychologist, author and speaker. She is a proponent of "power posing", a self-improvement technique whose scientific validity has been questioned. She has served as a faculty member at Rutgers University, Kellogg School of Management and Harvard Business School. (Source: Wikipedia)

    Key Ideas From Talk

    Amy Cuddy's talk was one of the first TED talks I watched, and it sounded pretty interesting. For as long as I can remember, I've been curious about the effects of walking and sitting with a slight slouch. Of course, I was not aware that it had such dramatic effects as described in this speech.

    Let me share with you the most basic conclusion I drew from the talk. We typically view our body language as something that only impacts others. That's why we tend to be more mindful of it when we're in front of people, such as during job interviews or presentations. We aim to make a positive impression. However, there's a crucial aspect that we often overlook. Our body language can also influence our own thoughts and emotions. In my case, constantly slouching has a distinct psychological effect on me, which I would describe as a lack of self-confidence.

    In short, Amy Cuddy beautifully explains how our body language affects us using scientific resources and examples. There are also some good insights worth noting.

    1. Body language affects our confidence: Our nonverbal behaviors, such as posture and gestures, can influence how we feel about ourselves. Adopting expansive, open postures can increase feelings of confidence and power, while closed postures can diminish confidence.
    2. "Power poses" can change our mindset: Taking on high-power poses, like standing tall with arms raised, can lead to an increase in testosterone levels and a decrease in cortisol levels, which are associated with feelings of dominance and stress. These poses can help us feel more assertive and in control.
    3. Nonverbals shape how others perceive us: Our body language sends signals to others, shaping their perceptions of us. Adopting confident postures can make us appear more competent, trustworthy, and authoritative to others.
    4. Faking it can lead to "faking it till you become it": Even if we don't feel confident initially, we can still adopt power poses and engage in confident body language. Over time, this can influence our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, ultimately leading to increased confidence and improved performance.
    5. Body language impacts job interviews and social interactions: Our nonverbal behaviors, including eye contact, posture, and gestures, play a crucial role in job interviews and social interactions. Being mindful of our body language and using power poses can help us project confidence and make a positive impression.

    Questions to Ask Ourselves

    1. How aware am I of my own body language and its impact on my confidence and well-being?
    2. In what situations do I tend to adopt closed or low-power poses? How does this affect my mindset and feelings of self-assurance?
    3. Are there specific "power poses" or confident body postures that I can incorporate into my daily routine to boost my confidence levels?
    4. How do I perceive others based on their body language? Do I make assumptions about their confidence or competence based on their nonverbal behaviors?
    5. How can I use my body language to project confidence and authority in job interviews or important social interactions?
    6. Are there instances where I've noticed a correlation between my body language and how others perceive me? How can I align my nonverbal cues with the impression I want to make?
    7. What are some practical ways I can practice and integrate confident body language into my everyday life?
    8. How can I use body language to manage stress and anxiety, especially in high-pressure situations?

    Notes From Talk

    ✒️
    So when we think of nonverbals, we think of how we judge others, how they judge us and what the outcomes are. We tend to forget, though, the other audience that’s influenced by our nonverbals, and that’s ourselves. We are also influenced by our nonverbals, our thoughts and our feelings and our physiology.
    ✒️
    It seems that our nonverbals do govern how we think and feel about ourselves, so it’s not just others, but it’s also ourselves. Also, our bodies change our minds.
    ✒️
    Tiny tweaks can lead to big changes. So, this is two minutes. Two minutes, two minutes, two minutes. Before you go into the next stressful evaluative situation, for two minutes, try doing this, in the elevator, in a bathroom stall, at your desk behind closed doors. That’s what you want to do. Configure your brain to cope the best in that situation. Get your testosterone up. Get your cortisol down. Don’t leave that situation feeling like, oh, I didn’t show them who I am. Leave that situation feeling like, I really feel like I got to say who I am and show who I am.

    This talk is a part of following list: "Talks That Changed My Perspective".