As I watched many of my friends go to numerous job interviews for their THON committees, I became interested in what actually went on during their time there. Of course there was the standard questioning, small talk, and silent judging of attire, but I also wanted to know what personality each of my friends presented to their future leaders; I wanted to know what they appeared to be through the eyes of others, other than myself.
Like most of us have learned, body language is an important factor in determining whether or not the person is fit for a job. It shows us how they are feeling about themselves, as well as, others around them. I strongly believe the presentation of one’s self is extremely important not just during job interviews, but in daily life.
There have been many studies involving body language that shed light on its importance, but the one I found most interesting was completed by Princeton researchers.
“For their study, the Princeton researchers used stock photos of people at six emotional “peaks”: pain, pleasure, victory, defeat, grief and joy. In the first experiment, three groups of 15 people were shown only the facial expression, the body position or the face and body together, respectively. Participants who saw the face only had a 50-50 chance of being correct, whereas those who only saw a body or the face and body together were far more accurate.”
Interestingly enough, we almost always skip the importance of the movements our body is making and focus just on the preconceived center of all emotion: the face. With this data, it suggests that we be more aware of our body language, making sure we are conveying what we actually want to convey. Smiling can help you appear as a more positive, outgoing peson, but you may also need to take the time to get your body to agree.
Some gestures can have multiple meanings. For instance, according to trainingzone.co, “Folded arms can mean a number of things, from being defensive to bored, irritated, happy, confused, content or worried and I am sure the list could go on.”
Sometimes we are too quick to assume what each of these movements or expressions mean and unfairly judge someone. It is imperative that we take take the time to evaluate how we want to present our selves to employees, friends, and family.
References:
Clayton, Peter. “The Body Language Clinic: Mysterious Misconceptions.” TrainingZone.co.uk. N.p., 24 Aug. 2010. Web. 18 Sept. 2014. <http://www.trainingzone.co.uk/topic/soft-skills/body-language-clinic-mysterious-misconceptions/145930>.
Kelly, Morgan. “Don’t Read My Lips! Body Language Trumps the Face for Conveying Intense Emotions.” Princeton University. Trustees of Princeton University, 15 Jan. 2013. Web. 18 Sept. 2014. <http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S35/82/65G58/>.
Hi Hayley, my name is Kristen and I found your post really interesting! I always think about body position and I really do believe it can change the way people view you. I watched a really informative Ted Talk about this that you might like it. She explains that not only should we watch out for our body language around others, but when we are by ourselves as well.
http://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are
I love the picture in your post! Also I liked how you included how smiling makes you a more positive person because it is also contagious and can make other people smile too.
If you look at this sight you can see more about how your facial expressions effect your body too.
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/cutting-edge-leadership/201206/there-s-magic-in-your-smile
This is so true, I know for a fact that I personally am more likely to talk to someone I don’t know if they have a welcoming, friendly body language instead of someone with the opposite. We commonly judge people based on the body language they are putting out there. Nice post!