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  • May 2015
  • Article
  • Psychological Science

Review and Summary of Research on the Embodied Effects of Expansive (vs. Contractive) Nonverbal Displays

By: Dana R. Carney, Amy J.C. Cuddy and Andy J. Yap
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Abstract

In this comment we list the 33 published experiments based on 2,521 participants demonstrating the embodied effects of expansive versus contractive nonverbal postures. We discuss a new addition to this list that found an embodied effect of nonverbal expansiveness on self-reported feelings of power but no effect on risk-taking, cortisol, or testosterone. Taken together, all but one conceptual replication has demonstrated support for the embodied effects of expansive nonverbal postures. However, multiple experiments have found that the postural effects appear to be bounded by social context, culture, and participants' awareness of the hypothesis. Fruitful avenues for future research are suggested.

Keywords

Nonverbal Communication; Behavior; Research

Citation

Carney, Dana R., Amy J.C. Cuddy, and Andy J. Yap. "Review and Summary of Research on the Embodied Effects of Expansive (vs. Contractive) Nonverbal Displays." Psychological Science 26, no. 5 (May 2015): 657–663.
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More from the Authors
  • Visual Attention to Powerful Postures: People Avert Their Gaze from Nonverbal Dominance Displays By: Elise Holland, Elizabeth Baily Wolf, Christine Looser and Amy Cuddy
  • Racism, Causal Explanations, and Affirmative Action By: Theresa K. Vescio, Amy Cuddy, Faye Crosby and Kevin Weaver
  • On Wealth and the Diversity of Friendships: High Social Class People around the World Have Fewer International Friends By: Maurice H. Yearwood, Amy Cuddy, Nishtha Lambaa, Wu Youyoua, Ilmo van der Lowe, Paul K. Piff, Charles Gronin, Pete Fleming, Emiliana Simon-Thomas, Dacher Keltner and Aleksandr Spectre
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