Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges

This chapter presents much of Cuddy’s own research as well as the work of other psychologists and scientists in determining the ways in which the body talks to the mind. She writes: “The way you carry yourself is a source of personal power—the kind of power that is the key to presence. It’s the key that allows you to unlock yourself—your abilities, your creativity, your courage, and even your generosity […]. It doesn’t change who you are; it allows you to be who you are” (197). Cuddy describes several experiments with what she calls “power posing,” in which the subjects of the study are prompted to mimic powerful or powerless physical positions in an effort to determine if the poses influence their behavior.

In her study with psychologist Dana Carney and social and organizational psychologist Andy Yap, Cuddy and her team defined five high-power poses that showed subjects taking up space and showing dominance with their physical presence, such as standing with feet hip-width apart and with hands on the waist, standing tall. They also created five powerless poses, which included standing with arms and legs crossed and head down. The test subjects held their assigned pose for 60 seconds. They were then asked if they would be willing to gamble to win additional remuneration for the experiment. Those who used power poses were more likely to roll the dice to see if they could earn additional money, whereas the powerless posers were less likely to do so. Their feelings of power were also measured and corresponded to the pose that they had assumed during the experiment.

To see if this experience was happening on a purely physical level, Cuddy and her team measured their subjects’ testosterone and cortisol levels before and after posing. They found that “holding a single expansive pose can make significant, measurable differences in the hormones related to confidence and anxiety” (204). Hormonal levels paralleled the reported feelings of the test subjects. Cuddy writes: “Carrying yourself in a powerful way directs your feelings, thoughts, behaviors, and body to feel powerful and be present (and even perform better) in situations ranging from the mundane to the most challenging” (206).

There are several positive effects associated with expanding your body by assuming a power pose, Cuddy argues. It can lead to increased feelings of confidence and lowered anxiety, leading to a more positive outlook. Posing powerfully can lead to thinking positively about yourself, which makes space in your mind for creativity and abstract thinking. It can even help you to resist physical pain by increasing your tolerance for it. Overall: “Expanding your body physiologically prepares you to be present; it overrides your instinct to fight or flee, allowing you to be grounded, open, and engaged” (222).

iPosture (also referred to as iHunch and text neck) is a physical position that many people take when using electronic devices, particularly smaller ones such as phones or tablets. By leaning over to read on these devices, the neck and shoulders become hunched in an effort to support the head. Much like the powerless poses, this hunched position affects self-confidence and assertiveness. New Zealand physiotherapist Steve August explains that with a “smaller device, [you] hunch more to use it, decrease assertiveness, increase neck loading, increase pain and headache” (227). In contrast, study participants who were given a desktop computer instead of a phone were more likely to assert themselves. Cuddy writes: “We concluded that the smaller the device, the more we must contract our bodies to use it, and the more time we spend in these shrunken, inward postures, the more powerless we feel” (228).

In response to questions submitted to Cuddy about how power posing works for the physically disabled, she and her team studied whether visualizing power poses would have a similar effect as actually making the gestures. Cuddy found that “[e]ven in the imagined power pose condition, people were able to fully inhabit the moment—noticing without judging their environment, feeling neither threatened by nor dominant over the strangers coming in and out of the room” (235).

This effect extends to virtual avatars. Individuals who selected avatars who are tall or otherwise powerful continue to feel empowered outside of the virtual environment. For example, “people who’d been given superhero flying powers were significantly more likely to help the experimenter [and] […] also reported higher feelings of ‘presence’ during the game” (237-38).

Cuddy closes the chapter by reminding the reader that the body influences the shape of your mind, which in turn affects your behavior and life.