The Power of Body Language: How to Communicate Effectively without Word
Body language is a form of nonverbal communication that can influence how others perceive and respond to us. According to psychologist Albert Mehrabian, body language accounts for 55% of total communication, while words only account for 7% (Mehrabian, 1971). The Science Behind Body Language Social psychologist Amy Cuddy, in her TED Talk "Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are" (Cuddy, 2012), discusses the importance of body language in our perception and behavior. According to Cuddy, when we feel insecure or stressed, we tend to make ourselves smaller, while when we feel powerful and confident, we tend to make ourselves bigger. The Animal Kingdom Analogy Cuddy draws an analogy with the animal kingdom, where animals tend to make themselves larger to appear more imposing to their predators or competitors. Similarly, when we adopt power poses, we can influence our perception and behavior. The Hormones of Dominance and Stress Cuddy's research found that alpha males in animal g...