Can you fake it until you make it? Amy Cuddy suggests that you can fake it until you become it. One of those little tweaks that you can do is by doing two minutes of high-power posing that can increase your testosterone and decrease your cortisol levels which are the combination of hormones that can bring about a more assertive, confident and comfortable personality traits. Her findings suggest that a person can change their physiological homeostasis.
Being confident gives you the feeling of control over situations therefore lowering your stress level, which is physiologically lowering your cortisol level. As we have learned in class learning to interpret stimulants as stressful or not stressful is an important mechanism in order to keep cortisol levels in balance because of the damage high levels of cortisol over a long period of time can cause to your body. If a high power stance can trigger physiological changes such as a change in cortisol and testosterone levels this provides another way of controlling stress just by your body position. That is why faking a high-power pose until your body responds to the pose in order to become the emotion that the pose portrays to others as well as your body as being confident and therefore able to manage the stressful situation which allows for lower cortisol levels. Using this technique to lower cortisol levels in order to prevent the destructive effects chronic stress has or constant high levels of cortisol your body receives can decrease your risk of stress-related diseases. Lower testosterone levels which is also result of the power pose will decrease the trait of being hostile and hot-headed because the neurons threshold is less excitable due to the decrease of testosterone which tends to lower the threshold for an action potential to occur and cause a physiological response to an environmental stimulant. She suggests that doing a high-power pose before stressful situations such as before an interview or test in order to increase your confidence, which will help you in responding to questions, that employers or the test have. Cuddy claims “ Our bodies can change our minds, and our minds can change our behavior, and our behavior can change our outcome.” This is how you fake it until you make it. The physiological motions change your psychological emotions through your hormones released by high power poses, which would therefore change our outcome through our more confident behavior. So don’t forget to strike a power pose or two for an extra boost of confidence before that test or interview!
Reference:
Cuddy, Amy. "Your body language shapes who you are". TED talk
http://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are.html
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ReplyDeleteHello Christiana,
ReplyDeleteI found your post very interesting. I already use this concept but at a more psychological level through positive thinking and reinforcement. I was wondering what exactly a power pose is (i.e. flexing in front of the mirror)? Also, your post seemed a bit contradictory. In the beginning you stated that power poses increased testosterone levels then later claim that they decrease testosterone as well. Could you clarify which effect power posing has on testosterone?
Thank you
So after reviewing her talk again, Cuddy claims that higher power poses increase testosterone level which is the physiological hormone of dominance. Lower cortisol levels were also found in the study which suggests still more control over a situation. The participants simply held the either high power or low power pose without seeing themselves in the mirror for two-minutes and then took mouth swabs in order to measure there cortisol and testosterone levels. The testosterone level would increase your awareness and your lower cortisol levels indicate a confidence and control over the situation.
DeleteA high power pose would be something of what you see athletes do after succeeding, such as Usain Bolt throwing his arms straight in the air. Simply doing that without having to look at yourself in the mirror are the types of high power poses that Cuddy mentions will bring about these physiological changes in hormone levels. She provides pictures of the poses around 10:52 in her presentation.