Power poses actually generate power

I tend to view the world through a very pragmatic lens, seeing things practically rather than theoretically. That’s why this section from Michael Port’s “Steal the Show” struck me so oddly. From the book:

You know how body language affects how others see you, but it may also change how you see yourself. Harvard University social psychologist Amy Cuddy has done extensive research on how “power posing,” standing in a posture of confidence even when you don’t feel confident, can raise testosterone levels while reducing cortisol levels in your brain. In fact, Cuddy’s research paper, “Power Posing: Brief Nonverbal Displays Affect Neuroendocrine Levels and Risk Tolerance,” published in 2010 by the Association for Psychological Science, showed that various power poses increased testosterone levels by 20 percent and decreased cortisol levels by 25 percent.

When you don’t feel confident, posing in a way to fake that confidence actually increases your testosterone and lowers your cortisol levels — you can trick your body into actually being more confident.

It reminds me of a study from Harvard about placebos. We all know that placebos can work (which is already kind of odd), but studies show that placebos can work even if you know you’re taking a placebo. From the article:

In one study, Kaptchuk looked at people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a common condition that causes abdominal cramping and diarrhea or constipation that can be debilitating for many. Half of the study volunteers were told they were getting an “open-label” placebo and the others got nothing at all. He found that there was a dramatic and significant improvement in the placebo group’s IBS symptoms, even though they were explicitly told they were getting a “sugar pill” without any active medication.

Our bodies can be strange and wonderful. My logical brain would say that of course known placebos can’t work, and faking a “power pose” isn’t really going to help — and I’d be wrong about both of them.

I’m not sure if I’ll be power posing any time soon, but if you see me do it, know that it’s because I’m already quite nervous on the inside and I’m literally working to fake myself out.