Adopt expansive posture to shift subjective confidence
Upright, open posture — not a "power pose" — reliably correlates with higher self-reported confidence, even if the hormone claims did not hold.
Why it works
Embodied cognition research demonstrates bidirectional links between physical state and mental state: the body does not only express emotion, it partially constitutes it. Slumped, contracted posture activates submissive and defeated cognitive states; upright and open posture is associated with approach motivation and resource appraisal. The mechanism is proprioceptive and interoceptive — the brain reads postural signals as evidence about current status and readiness.
How to do it
- Before a high-stakes moment, spend two minutes standing or sitting with an upright spine, shoulders back and down, head level, feet planted.
- Allow your arms to be open rather than crossed — uncrossed arms reduce self-reported anxiety.
- Do not attempt the dramatic spread-eagle poses from the original study — the behavioral effects come from ordinary upright, open posture.
- Notice how your self-assessment of readiness shifts after two minutes of this.
Evidence
Expansive posture correlates with higher self-reported confidence and approach states across multiple studies; the meta-analytic picture is moderate and mixed. The hormone claims (testosterone up, cortisol down) did not replicate in pre-registered studies. (observational)
The hormonal mechanism failed to replicate in adequately powered pre-registered studies. Psychological outcomes (self-reported confidence) show smaller, more inconsistent effects than the original paper claimed. The useful takeaway is much more modest than the TED talk suggested.
Sources
- Cuddy, Schultz & Fosse (2018), P-curving a more comprehensive body of research on postural feedback reveals clear evidential value for power posing effects on psychological outcomes, Psychological Science
- Ranehill et al. (2015), assessing the robustness of power posing — no effect on hormones, Psychological Science
Common mistake
Using dramatic, exaggerated "power poses" in public settings — other people’s perception of dominant body language is often negative, and the effect on the self does not require exaggerated expansion.
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More practices for Power Posing Revisited
- Create a pre-performance ritual that includes posture
A consistent pre-performance ritual — including posture — reduces anxiety and improves performance more reliably than any single element.
- Use value-based self-affirmation before threatening evaluations
Before a threatening evaluation, write for 10 minutes about a value that matters to you — unrelated to the domain being evaluated.
- Understand the "become it" claim accurately
Sustained behavioral practice of confidence — acting as if — can build real self-efficacy over time, through mastery experiences rather than pose duration.
- Pair confidence work with honest, accurate appraisal of your actual standing
Confidence without accurate self-assessment is overconfidence — the goal is calibrated self-belief, not boosted belief.
- Use voice pacing and tone as accessible, real-time confidence levers
Speaking slowly, at moderate volume, with deliberate pauses signals confidence to listeners — and partially to yourself.
Related concepts
- Posture and Confidence, Honestly Explained
What upright posture really does for mood and confidence — and what it doesn’t
- Embodied Cognition: How Your Body Shapes Your Thinking
Grounded metaphor, gesture, posture, and what movement does for understanding
- Self-Efficacy: Building the Belief You Can
The four sources of efficacy beliefs, and how to grow each one