Body Language and Self-Perception
Body language accounts for a massive portion of how others perceive us and can influence their conclusions of who we really are. It is less known that body language can directly influence how we perceive ourselves, and Amy Cuddy elucidates on this reality in the video. In her research, she found that consciously assuming powerful poses could change a person's mental state and thus influence an individual's reactions and attitudes toward stressful situations and problem-solving. The science does not only apply to humans, but also across the animal kingdom where dominant postures normally involve opening up the body to occupy more space, while vulnerable postures constitute a closing up of the body to appear smaller.
Applicability in Life
The knowledge that Cuddy relays has applicability in many areas of life. For instance, in the case of sports, doing power poses before the match when challenging a superior opponent can change a player's mentality from perceiving his or her opponent as unbeatable to knowing that the field is open to the one who wants to win more than the other does. Practicing power poses after waking up should also brighten the day ahead whereby a person can even persevere having a bad day with the reassurance of brighter days in the future. In practice, this can also improve a person's willingness to engage in social interactions, enriching the person's life and easing access to opportunities.
Positive Non-Verbal Behavior
For me, exhibiting positive non-verbal behavior is not all about the utility of power, but also extends to happiness and satisfaction from life. Greeting people courteously and smiling at those I make eye contact with, even when they do not reciprocate, improves my mood and hence my actions and reactions. On the other hand, repeating positive behaviors engrains these habits into my patterns even though such behaviors did not form a part of my character initially. Rather than faking it, I chose to exhibit confident behavior and became more confident in my decisions and actions. Overall, these concepts are essential in allowing me to interact with other people effectively, thus making me a stronger and happier person.
Works Cited
TED. “Amy Cuddy: Your Body Language May Shape Who You Are.” TEDGlobal 2012, June 2012, http://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are
