Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 26, 2025

Resting-State Connectivity and Neuroimaging of Prefrontal Cortex Activity During a Block-Design Yoga Asana Practice Using fNIRS

Resting-State Connectivity and Neuroimaging of Prefrontal Cortex Activity During a Block-Design Yoga Asana Practice Using fNIRS

Published on: June 24, 2025

Using bodily postures to reduce anxiety and improve interoception: A comparison between powerful and neutral poses

Felicitas Weineck¹, Dana Schultchen¹, Gernot Hauke^1,2

¹Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany.

|December 9, 2020

Abstract

Background:

Previous research has shown that anxiety syndromes are highly prevalent among university students. Effective treatments are needed to reduce the burden of anxiety in this population. Powerful postures have been found to impact affective states, as well as interoception (i.e. the ability to perceive inner bodily signals). However, no previous study has compared the effects of powerful- and neutral postures in regards to anxiety and interoceptive ability.

Methods:

The first part of the study measured the single-session effect of adopting powerful- vs. neutral postures on students' (n = 57) interoceptive ability and state anxiety. The second part of the study measured the effect of adopting powerful or neutral postures twice daily for two weeks, on individuals' interoceptive ability and trait anxiety.

Results:

State anxiety decreased in both conditions whereas interoceptive accuracy only increased in the power posing condition after a single session. Interoceptive accuracy increased in both groups after two weeks of training.

Limitations:

The study included no comparison to a condition where individuals adopted their natural (i.e. usual) bodily posture.

Conclusions:

Embodiment interventions that include elements of adopting an open or expansive bodily posture whilst maintaining a self-focus, can help to reduce state anxiety and improve interoceptive accuracy in student populations. Power posing does not seem to be superior to holding a neutral posture to improve interoceptive accuracy or anxiety. One reason therefore could be that both conditions include the manipulation of self-focus and a postural change that diverges from individuals' normal posture.

More Related Videos

A Community-based Stress Management Program: Using Wearable Devices to Assess Whole Body Physiological Responses in Non-laboratory Settings

A Community-based Stress Management Program: Using Wearable Devices to Assess Whole Body Physiological Responses in Non-laboratory Settings

Published on: January 22, 2018

Mindfulness in Motion MIM: An Onsite Mindfulness Based Intervention MBI for Chronically High Stress Work Environments to Increase Resiliency and Work Engagement

Mindfulness in Motion MIM: An Onsite Mindfulness Based Intervention MBI for Chronically High Stress Work Environments to Increase Resiliency and Work Engagement

Published on: July 1, 2015

Related Concept Videos

Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques III

Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques III

Regular exercise and meditation serve as essential tools in managing stress and promoting physical and mental well-being.
The Role of Exercise in Stress Management
Regular physical activity is essential for reducing stress and promoting cardiovascular health. Exercise strengthens the heart, enhances blood flow, keeps blood vessels flexible, and helps lower blood pressure, all of which reduce the body's stress response. Research shows that adults who exercise regularly have nearly half the...

Altered States of Awareness

Altered States of Awareness

Altered states of consciousness represent significant deviations from one's normal mental state. These deviations can range from subtle changes in awareness to profound transformations in perception, thought processes, and sensory experiences. Altered states of consciousness can be triggered by various factors, including drug use, meditation, hypnosis, illness, or even intense fatigue.
The ingestion of substances like stimulants or hallucinogens leads to chemical alterations in the brain...

Anxiety: Overview

Anxiety: Overview

Anxiety is a common mental disorder featuring excessive worry, fear, and apprehension, significantly affecting daily life. People with anxiety disorders experience persistent and intense anxiety, interrupting their everyday functioning.
Individuals with anxiety often experience a range of physical and emotional symptoms, including sweating, trembling, tachycardia, and disturbances in sleep patterns. These symptoms vary in intensity and frequency but are generally disruptive and distressing.

Peripherally and Centrally Acting Muscle Relaxants: A Comparison

Peripherally and Centrally Acting Muscle Relaxants: A Comparison

Skeletal muscle relaxants can target the central nervous system [CNS] to reduce muscle tension or act directly at the neuromuscular junction to induce temporary paralysis. These two classes of muscle relaxants are called centrally acting muscle relaxants and peripherally acting muscle relaxants. They differ in their action, mechanism, administration route, and clinical uses.
Centrally acting muscle relaxants can be further divided into spasmolytic and antispasmodic drugs. Spasmolytic...

Anatomical Positions

Anatomical Positions

In anatomy, several standard anatomical positions are used as references for describing the position and orientation of different body parts. These positions help provide a common frame of reference when discussing anatomical structures. The anatomical position is the standard reference point for describing the body's position and orientation. In this position:
The body is upright, facing forward, and standing erect.
The feet are parallel and flat on the floor.
The arms are hanging by the...

Behavior Therapy

Behavior Therapy

Behavior therapy incorporates diverse techniques rooted in classical conditioning principles to address maladaptive behaviors and anxiety disorders. These methods aim to reduce avoidance behaviors, foster adaptive coping mechanisms, and alter associations between stimuli and responses, making them effective in a wide range of therapeutic contexts.
Exposure therapy is a cornerstone of behavioral treatment for anxiety disorders. It involves systematic exposure to feared stimuli, either in real...

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Stress modulates gastric interoception depending on eating traits and emotion regulation: evidence from the magic table.

Scientific reports·2026

"StudiCare Mindfulness": effects of an online mindfulness-based intervention on mindfulness, stress, and interoception in university students - a randomized controlled trial.

BMC psychology·2026

The heart of the self: An interoceptive perspective on the psychotherapeutic process.

Consciousness and cognition·2026

Cardiac interoception in action: Modulation after a stress induction with a speech task.

Biological psychology·2026

Interoceptive accuracy and cognitive reappraisal modulate affective and physiological reactivity to social stress.

Biological psychology·2026

The Association Between Longitudinal Changes in Body Mass Index and Longitudinal Changes in Hours of Screen Time, and Hours of Physical Activity in German Children.

Obesity science & practice·2024

See all related articles