Lecture on Power Posing and Body Language by Shalini Sharma

Introduction

• Free Life Hack: Change your posture for two minutes.
• Body Audit: Assess your current posture and how it might be affecting your mind.

Importance of Body Language

• Social Interest: Focus on others' body language (e.g., smiles, winks, handshakes).
• Non-Verbals: Social scientists study them as part of communication.
• Judgments: Body language affects how we make decisions about others (e.g., hiring, dating).

Research Findings

• Nalini Ambadi: Judgments of physician's niceness can predict lawsuits.
• Alex Todorov: Quick judgments of political candidates' faces predict election outcomes.

Influence of Non-Verbals on Self

• Body Language: Affects thoughts, feelings, physiology—ourselves more than we realize.
• Expressions of Power: Taking up space, opening up, seen in both animals and humans.
• Power vs. Powerlessness: Expansive vs. contractive posture.

Classroom Observations

• Range of Power Non-Verbals: Varied among MBA students.
• Gender Differences: Women more likely to appear powerless.
• Participation Impact: Correlates with perceived power, affects grades.

Hypothesis and Experiment

• "Fake it till you make it": Testing if adopting power poses can make one feel and act more powerful.
• Experiment:
  • Participants held high or low power poses for 2 minutes.
  • Risk tolerance, hormone levels (testosterone and cortisol) measured.

Results

• Risk Tolerance: Higher in high-power poses.
• Hormone Changes:
  • Testosterone: Increased with high-power poses.
  • Cortisol: Decreased with high-power poses.
• Conclusion: Body posture affects mind, feelings, and behavior.

Practical Application

• Evaluative Situations: Use power posing before stressful evaluations (e.g., job interviews).
• Outcomes: Better self-presentation, perceived competence.

Personal Story and Advice

• Imposter Syndrome: Overcoming feelings of inadequacy through persistence.
• Advice: "Don't fake it till you make it, fake it till you become it."

Conclusion

• Tiny Tweaks, Big Changes: Simple changes in posture can significantly impact life outcomes.
• Empowerment: Share the power posing technique as it requires no resources or technology.
• Final Message: Encourage trying and sharing the science of power posing.