Body posture reveals how honest you are

• April 26, 2024

The body posture you have in the office, playing video games or driving, can reveal how honest you can be or not, because sitting in an extended and relaxed way reflects an attitude of power, which can negatively influence your personality , regarding dishonesty, according to a study of the Columbia Business School.

According to the research published in the magazine Scientific American, expansive body postures, such as stretching the legs when sitting, confer a sense of power, which, according to previous studies, can lead to dishonest behavior. The same happens when you prefer to sit in a large chair or desk, as well as a similar position when driving a car.
 

Andy Yap, lead author of the study , explains that work environments and daily life condition our bodily postures, expand and contract, and these environments directly influence the propensity of dishonest behavior.

Subtle postural changes can have a huge impact on our thoughts, feelings and behaviors, so it is important to pay attention to the ergonomics of the spaces, by the tangible and real effects in our behaviors.

The investigation includes four tests performed in a laboratory. In one of them, the physical space of an office was manipulated and then it was evaluated whether the individuals in that space were dishonest according to their body posture, as it expanded or contracted.

Another study evaluated whether people driving in a large space were more likely to break the speed rules established in a computer game, showing that they tend more to fraudulent and dishonest behavior, which would imply a penalty or fine.

The study applied to real drivers in New York revealed that those who cycled with larger seats tended to park in forbidden places.

In this way, the investigation of the Columbia Business School emphasizes that both the distribution of spaces in the environments , matter of ergonomics , influence the personality and behavior of a person, which allows to determine if it can be considered honest and trustworthy.

Video Medicine: 10 Ways You Can Spot A Liar With Body Language (April 2024).