Preparatory power posing affects nonverbal presence and job interview performance.

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Social Psychology
• Nonverbal Communication

Background:

• Previous research examined how nonverbal behavior during interactions influences perceiver evaluations.
• The impact of nonverbal behavior enacted *before* an interaction, and unobserved by others, on performance was less understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if adopting expansive "power poses" (high-power poses) before a stressful job interview enhances performance.
• To determine if this enhancement is mediated by verbal content or nonverbal presence.
• To explore the causal link between preparatory nonverbal behavior and subsequent performance outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Participants adopted either high-power (expansive) or low-power (contractive) poses before a mock job interview.
• Interview speeches were videotaped and coded for performance, hireability, verbal content, and nonverbal presence.
• Statistical analysis examined the mediation effects of verbal content and nonverbal presence.

Main Results:

• Participants using high-power poses performed better and were more likely to be hired compared to those using low-power poses.
• The positive effect of high-power poses on performance and hireability was mediated by enhanced nonverbal presence.
• Verbal content did not mediate the relationship between power posing and interview outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Engaging in expansive "power poses" prior to an interaction can causally improve performance and outcomes.
• Nonverbal presence, rather than verbal content, is a key mediator in the effect of preparatory power posing.
• This study highlights the significant impact of unobserved, preparatory nonverbal behaviors on subsequent social evaluations.