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.
Practice this with IX Coach
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