Ideas change everything

Your body language may shape who you are

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Amy Cuddy |

TEDGlobal 2012

• June 2012

(NOTE: Some of the findings presented in this talk have been referenced in an ongoing debate among social scientists about robustness and reproducibility. Read "Corrections & Updates" below for more details as well as Amy Cuddy's response.) Body language affects how others see us, but it may also change how we see ourselves. Social psychologist Amy Cuddy argues that "power posing" -- standing in a posture of confidence, even when we don't feel confident -- can boost feelings of confidence, and might have an impact on our chances for success.

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Want to use TED Talks in your organization?

(NOTE: Some of the findings presented in this talk have been referenced in an ongoing debate among social scientists about robustness and reproducibility. Read "Corrections & Updates" below for more details as well as Amy Cuddy's response.) Body language affects how others see us, but it may also change how we see ourselves. Social psychologist Amy Cuddy argues that "power posing" -- standing in a posture of confidence, even when we don't feel confident -- can boost feelings of confidence, and might have an impact on our chances for success.

Want to use TED Talks in your organization?

This talk was presented at an official TED conference.

Read our curation guidelines.

About the speaker

Social psychologist

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Amy Cuddy’s research on body language reveals that we can change other people’s perceptions — and perhaps even our own body chemistry — simply by changing body positions.

Learn more

Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges

Amy Cuddy | Little, Brown and Company (2015)

Amy Cuddy - Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges

Overview of the state of the science on postural feedback

Amy Cuddy responds to concerns about the robustness and reproducibility of the research contained in this talk.

JOURNAL ARTICLE: PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE

"P-Curving a More Comprehensive Body of Research on Postural Feedback Reveals Clear Evidential Value For Power-Posing Effects: Reply to Simmons and Simonsohn (2017)"

Several meta-analyses of the current scientific literature on adopting expansive postures, including 55 studies identified through a systematic review, reveal strong evidential value for power-posing effects and particularly robust evidential value for effects on emotional and affective states (e.g., mood, feelings, evaluations of the self).

This talk was presented at an official TED conference.

Read our curation guidelines.