How Does Body Language Shape Who You Are?

What is body language?

Body language is a critically important aspect of human interaction. The way we present ourselves impacts how other people interact with us and perceive our communication. Body language can include posture, facial expressions, a handshake, or eye contact, to name a few.

As humans, we actually have these things called mirror neurons in our brains. They literally serve as a reflection of what someone else is expressing to us. We love to match what we are seeing and experiencing. Therefore, when you see a sad commercial on television, you might find tears in your eyes and a lump in your throat. Or when an Olympic star rises above their odds and wins a medal, you celebrate as if you have won with them. However, body language can also impact how we feel about ourselves!

How body language shapes who you are

One of my favorite TedTalks of all time is entitled “Your body language may shape who you are,” by Amy Cuddy. Ms. Cuddy is a social psychologist who has studied this phenomenon in length and has discovered some fascinating conclusions.

https://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_may_shape_who_you_are?language=en

When we stand or sit in a more docile, submissive, and retreating way, there are actual physiological changes to our body chemistry. Picture a person hunched over a bit, they may have their hand across their neck or their arms crossed, and they are almost trying to appear smaller. In this case, the person’s cortisol or stress hormone will change and increase, just based upon a few minutes of sitting in this pose. Additionally, their testosterone levels will decrease.

Conversely, when someone stands in a power pose that makes them appear strong, confident, and taking up more space, they see the opposite happen. Picture someone with their shoulders back, head held high, and may even have their hands on their hips like Wonder Woman. Sitting in this pose for just a few minutes before an anxiety-provoking experience like a job interview can have a dramatic influence on your body chemistry! Cortisol levels (stress hormone) go down, and testosterone levels go up! Interestingly, in a controlled experiment, when people were put into these different types of poses before an interview, those in the power poses were more likely to be hired for the job!

It might feel a bit silly, but the way you stand, sit, and present yourself can have a huge impact on how others see you and how your body responds, and you see yourself.