Preparatory power posing affects performance and outcomes in social evaluation
By: Amy J. C. Cuddy, Caroline A. Wilmuth, Dana R. Carney
Contributors: Wilmuth, Caroline A.; Carney, Dana R.; Harvard Business School
Series: Working paper / Harvard Business School -- 13-027; Working paper (Harvard Business School) -- 13-027
Publisher: Harvard Business School
Published: 2012
Place of publication: Boston]
Language: eng
Number of pages: 20
Work titles: Benefit of power posing before a high-stakes social evaluation
Description: This experiment tested whether changing one's nonverbal behavior prior to an important social evaluation could improve performance on the evaluated task. Participants adopted expansive, open (high-power) poses or contractive, closed (low-power) poses, and then prepared and delivered a speech to two evaluators as part of a mock job interview -- a prototypical social evaluation. All speeches were videotaped and coded for overall performance and hireability as well as for two potential mediators: speech content (e.g., content, structure) and speaker presence (e.g., captivating, enthusiastic). As predicted, those who prepared with high-power poses performed better and were more likely to be chosen for hire; this relationship was mediated by speaker presence, but not speech content. Power-pose condition had no effect on body posture during the social evaluation, thus revealing a relationship between preparatory nonverbal behavior and subsequent performance, and highlighting preparatory power posing as a simple performance-boosting tool with the potential to benefit almost anyone.
Notes: "September 2012. (Revised November 2012.)" -- Publisher's website.

Revision of The benefit of power posing before a high-stakes social evaluation.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 13-16).