Amy Cuddy’s TED TALK on Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are.
As you watch the video, what is your body language saying right now?
After watching the video, my body language did not say too much. Still, the feeling,
unfortunately, was anxiety because Amy Cuddy made noises with her tongue and mouth
when she talked, and it was all the time, so it was tough for me to be focused on her speech .
Explain what power and dominance body language messages are about.
The message is about the power of body language and nonverbal expressions; engaging in
more space can make you appear more confident and assertive. Animals and people stretch
out and occupy space to make themselves big and open; in this way, it demonstrates
dominance and power.
What does the gesture of arms in the air and chin-up indicate?
Amy Cuddy (2012) points out that animals in the wild such as monkeys, use this technique to
give a sense of power and dominance, and humans do it for the same reason; even blind
people who never have seen this reaction do it. So, it is a natural reaction to demonstrate
control, power, dominance, or victory.
Powerless gestures include:
Limited eye contact, hunched posture, and crossing arms.
When challenged, do we mirror non-verbal communication or the opposite?
When challenged, we tend to mirror non-verbal communication.
Does evidence show that women chronically feel less powerful than men?
Apparently, yes.
According to Cuddy, what do the minds of powerful people look like? List several
characteristics. What are some of the physiological characteristics?
According to Cuddy (2012), some characteristics that mind-powerful people demonstrate are
confidence, positive self-perception, assertiveness, presence, and eye contact. In addition,
some physiological characteristics are lower levels of stress hormones (cortisol) and higher
levels of testosterone.
Explain the evidence indicating that the body can shape the mind.
The evidence suggests that the body can shape the mind. The way we hold ourselves can have
an impact on our thoughts, emotions, and actions. It's interesting to note that taking on
expansive and open postures, even for a short time, can increase our feelings of power and
confidence. On the other hand, adopting closed and constricted postures can have the opposite
effect and make us feel less powerful and less confident.
What gestures indicate a very low power pose, and what does it imply?
Some gestures that indicate a very low power pose are hunched back and saggy shoulders,
arms or legs crossed, avoiding direct eye contact, and reducing the size by occupying less
space. These low-power poses convey a lack of confidence, submissiveness, and
vulnerability.
What gestures indicate a very high power pose, and what does it imply?
Some gestures that indicate a very high power pose are arms on hips or outstretched,
standing tall with a straight back, strong and direct eye contact, and wide leg pose or
extended body movements. These high power poses communicate confidence, authority,
and dominance.
References
Cuddy, A. (2012, June). Your body language may shape who you are [Video]. TED Conferences.
https://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_may_shape_who_you_are