Your body language shapes who you are

[La Sagna]

In my social psychology class we had to watch a video relating to body language and experiments that show the effect it has on your hormones. I found it very interesting, but even more interesting was the comments from the other students. So many of the comments were from people who stated they were introverts and that this was something that they needed to work on. I thought I would post the video here and see if you have any thoughts on this.

http://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are.html

 

[Gaze]

I agree with this commenter:

Dec 29 2013:

It just shows a serious inability to look past first impressions and the judgements we make from them which we almost always imprint as a truth regardless of any real background, insight or consideration.

Maybe when as a society we can get past all these impressions and set out minds out a little further we will stop scrambling and working to simply get ahead of the pack and put our minds to greater things, along with lifting those up around us who struggle in a dog eat dog world Of course those who are the greater thinkers are generally left in the wake and ignored by the ever moving mass just participating in the evolutionary scramble and the accumulation of stuff.

I don't necessarily agree that a "low" power pose is a direct reflection of self esteem issues. Not everyone wants to feel in power or do things to be noticed or get attention. The argument about body language assumes what you think someone feels is the reality. First of all, I may use a "high power" pose to get people's interest and attention when I'm speaking but it doesn't necessarily make me more confident. I may still feel I lack control. In that moment, I'm simply displaying what others want to see to make them feel confident in me. Has very little to do with changing how I may feel about myself. I'd rather display a more relaxed pose, but if I do, someone may misread my relaxed and comfortable pose as reflecting low self confidence, passivity, negative feelings, unhappy, etc. So, it's misleading to say our posture is always a direct reflection of how we feel. It's more accurate to say, if you want people to see you in a particular way, then you can adapt your body language. You can demonstrate a "low power" pose and be fine with who you are and not want or seek power or control. Changing posture is more about affecting other people's perceptions, not necessarily your own.

 

[LucyJr]

I don't buy it. Honestly, these kind of things are funny to me, it makes me laugh.
Real power I think comes from the mind, from inside, not from some 'poses'.
Also, some of the postures from the video are considered rude in many countries. You wouldn't do that in formal setting either. If you are powerfull, then you should be powerful in any posture, not just in a few.

 

[La Sagna]

I agree with this commenter:



I don't necessarily agree that a "low" power pose is a direct reflection of self esteem issues. Not everyone wants to feel in power or do things to be noticed or get attention. The argument about body language assumes what you think someone feels is the reality. First of all, I may use a "high power" pose to get people's interest and attention when I'm speaking but it doesn't necessarily make me more confident. I may still feel I lack control. In that moment, I'm simply displaying what others want to see to make them feel confident in me. Has very little to do with changing how I may feel about myself. I'd rather display a more relaxed pose, but if I do, someone may misread my relaxed and comfortable pose as reflecting low self confidence, passivity, negative feelings, unhappy, etc. So, it's misleading to say our posture is always a direct reflection of how we feel. It's more accurate to say, if you want people to see you in a particular way, then you can adapt your body language. You can demonstrate a "low power" pose and be fine with who you are and not want or seek power or control. Changing posture is more about affecting other people's perceptions, not necessarily your own.

I'm not sure if you watched the full video but the part that is interesting is the research that showed that testosterone levels were higher and cortisol levels lower after 2 minutes in a so-called 'power pose' and when the same people put themselves in a 'submissive pose' for 2 minutes their testosterone levels were lower and their cortisol levels were higher. This has nothing to do with the impression your pose gives to others but more the physical effect that it has on your body and hormones which then affect your state of mind. The suggestion is to put yourself in a powerful pose for two minutes in private before going into a situation such as a job interview, not to stand in a power pose during the interview itself.

 

[La Sagna]

I don't buy it. Honestly, these kind of things are funny to me, it makes me laugh.
Real power I think comes from the mind, from inside, not from some 'poses'.
Also, some of the postures from the video are considered rude in many countries. You wouldn't do that in formal setting either. If you are powerfull, then you should be powerful in any posture, not just in a few.

You also seemed to miss the point that it is not about taking a certain pose in front of others, but on the physical effect it has on the body and the mind. That is what is so interesting about it.

 

[Gaze]

I'm not sure if you watched the full video but the part that is interesting is the research that showed that testosterone levels were higher and cortisol levels lower after 2 minutes in a so-called 'power pose' and when the same people put themselves in a 'submissive pose' for 2 minutes their testosterone levels were lower and their cortisol levels were higher. This has nothing to do with the impression your pose gives to others but more the physical effect that it has on your body and hormones which then affect your state of mind. The suggestion is to put yourself in a powerful pose for two minutes in private before going into a situation such as a job interview, not to stand in a power pose during the interview itself.

I understand but my point would be if I consciously put myself in a power pose, it would probably make me feel more self conscious, nervous, not less stressed. You can naturally feel more comfortable and confident and reflect that use through open body language but someone reads that openness as weakness and too available. Her message is still implying that if you don't reflect "power" in your body language that you don't feel powerful which leads to false assumptions about what someone's body language seems to project vs. how they really feel. Posturing is often energy draining, whatever the purpose.

 

[La Sagna]

I understand but my point would be if I consciously put myself in a power pose, it would probably make me feel more self conscious, nervous, not less stressed. You can naturally feel more comfortable and confident and reflect that use through open body language but someone reads that openness as weakness and too available. Her message is still implying that if you don't reflect "power" in your body language that you don't feel powerful which leads to false assumptions about what someone's body language seems to project vs. how they really feel. Posturing is often energy draining, whatever the purpose.

You would be self-conscious if you took a pose in private?

 

[Gaze]

You would be self-conscious if you took a pose in private?

Doing anything consciously can cause stress, private or not.

 

[LucyJr]

You also seemed to miss the point that it is not about taking a certain pose in front of others, but on the physical effect it has on the body and the mind. That is what is so interesting about it.

I understand. But I think the mind affects all, not the other way around. Its not that hormones affects the mind. Even if it would affect it, still the cycle starts from the mind, from what one is thinking, not from the body and then affects the mind. Hormones are just side effects.
Of course, this is just my opinion

 

[La Sagna]

Doing anything consciously can cause stress, private or not.

I don't really relate to this. In my opinion if stress is not caused by something external, like a deadline, an emergency, an uncomfortable situation... then the stress would be coming from your mind. Presumably, as an introvert you should be pretty comfortable when you are alone, so it would seem that you are creating stress for yourself by judging what you are doing.

For myself, I let loose when I am alone, and do some pretty silly stuff... dancing, doing strange poses or faces and it doesn't cause me any stress, even though I would be completely uncomfortable to do those things in front of another person. It does not make me feel uncomfortable at all to stand with my arms up in the air for two minutes by myself...in front of others I would be uncomfortable.

I can vouch for the 'faking it till you make it part'. I had to learn to market myself at networking groups and I was very uncomfortable at first but I decided to act like I was confidant and comfortable and I eventually actually became fairly confidant and comfortable.

 

[Gaze]

My belief is that consciously imposing on your mind that you need to feel or appear "powerful" is not beneficial, if you're not personally motivated by power or control. It will simply feel like "posing" or a put on to prove something to someone, rather than make yourself feel confident. Each person is different and finds different things empowering. Each person will need to figure out what makes them feel empowered, and start from there. Simple "posing" has not been effective for me. I know because I've tried and I've been speaking in public for years. Rather, finding what personally motivates me works better.

 

[La Sagna]

I understand. But I think the mind affects all, not the other way around. Its not that hormones affects the mind. Even if it would affect it, still the cycle starts from the mind, from what one is thinking, not from the body and then affects the mind. Hormones are just side effects.
Of course, this is just my opinion

The experiments that they mentioned seemed to be pointing to the body having an effect on the mind. I am open to that possibility. I think that may be why yoga has been proven to have a positive impact on mental health.

I personally believe that it probably goes both ways, the mind affects the body and the body affects the mind.

 

[LucyJr]

The experiments that they mentioned seemed to be pointing to the body having an effect on the mind. I am open to that possibility. I think that may be why yoga has been proven to have a positive impact on mental health.

I personally believe that it probably goes both ways, the mind affects the body and the body affects the mind.

Yes, I do think the mind affects the body and viceversa. But I think the real causation comes from the mind. The body rather responds back to the mind, like a reaction to the actions of the mind.
So yes, in this reaction I do think the body can influence the mind and help it.

 

[JGirl]

i make a point of not showing body language at all, ( or rather strictly controlling it) and i don't notice any lack or surplus of power as a result of it. i am very sensitive to other's body language and read it quite readily, and therefore make a point not to have mine read.
i feel i am a very powerful person, confident and self aware. i believe that this is decided in the mind, not in how we use our bodies.

 

[sprinkles]

I understand. But I think the mind affects all, not the other way around. Its not that hormones affects the mind. Even if it would affect it, still the cycle starts from the mind, from what one is thinking, not from the body and then affects the mind. Hormones are just side effects.
Of course, this is just my opinion

Uh-uh, yeah. Go get drunk and then rethink this statement.

 

[sprinkles]

i make a point of not showing body language at all, ( or rather strictly controlling it) and i don't notice any lack or surplus of power as a result of it. i am very sensitive to other's body language and read it quite readily, and therefore make a point not to have mine read.
i feel i am a very powerful person, confident and self aware. i believe that this is decided in the mind, not in how we use our bodies.

You can use your mind for that but it's not the only way to do it.

 

[sprinkles]

Yes, I do think the mind affects the body and viceversa. But I think the real causation comes from the mind. The body rather responds back to the mind, like a reaction to the actions of the mind.
So yes, in this reaction I do think the body can influence the mind and help it.

Let's say somebody gets chemicals/hormones into your system somehow without your knowledge. Are you telling us this won't have an effect because you aren't willing it, or reacting to it?

 

[barbad0s]

Your mind is just another part of your body and your body is just an extension of your mind. When you fake a smile, it gives you endorphins. When you exercise, it improves mental functioning. And mood. Why else would exercise help stave off depression? When you move your body, it can make you more creative too.

 

[LucyJr]

Uh-uh, yeah. Go get drunk and then rethink this statement.

Haha, yes. Well I better rethink this now.
Yes, I think alcohol can affect the brain, but not the mind.

 

[the]

In my social psychology class we had to watch a video relating to body language and experiments that show the effect it has on your hormones. I found it very interesting, but even more interesting was the comments from the other students. So many of the comments were from people who stated they were introverts and that this was something that they needed to work on. I thought I would post the video here and see if you have any thoughts on this.

http://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are.html

Do you mean they had to work on being more introverted, less introverted, or what?