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Holding wide, expansive postures – known as power poses – were once thought to boost confidence by producing hormonal changes and making us feel psychologically more powerful. Attempts to replicate the hormonal findings have proven difficult, though the psychological effect has gone largely unchallenged. But our latest study shows that even the psychological effects of power posing are very small. What might be more important for boosting confidence is to avoid a posture that is small and contractive, such as slouching your shoulders or crossing your arms.

Read the full article on The Conversation website, written by Poppy Brown, Department of Psychiatry.  

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