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Seen At 11: The Secret To Feeling Powerful, Confident? Just Strike A Pose

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – The secret to feeling powerful and self-assured may not be in your head after all.

As CBS2's Kristine Johnson reported, new research shows if you want to feel strong and in control, all you have to do is strike a pose.

Sonia Batra explained the "Wonder Woman" pose -- standing tall with the chest open. She says while she may not acquire Wonder Woman's superpowers, after just two minutes she feels more in command.

"I feel a lot calmer. I feel a lot more confident. It's kind of like giving yourself a pep talk about verbally talking to yourself," she said.

A new study published in the Journal of Psychological Science claims power posting changes the body's chemistry, increasing testosterone by 20 percent after two minutes and reducing stress hormones. The result: those who posed acted more assertively and felt less stressed.

Researchers have identified other power poses, like the "Obama," a pose similar to one the president favors. Another is called the "performer," named after a pose frequently struck by Mick Jagger.

"It's so tied up with dominance and power and confidence," said psychologist Adam Galinsky.

Galinsky, who has studied the psychology of power poses, said they all have something in common that leads to changes in behavior: body language.

"The poses all invoke making the body expand out, longer, wide, taller and I think that's what you're really trying to tap into," he said.

Power posing is routinely practiced by women at the Grace Institute, a job training center. Women there say they hope the poses will give them an edge during job interviews.

"I think it's a great way to build confidence," one woman said.

"My pose made me feel very big and strong," another said.

And while research indicates the effects of a power pose are relatively short-lived, some say it could be a first step toward permanent, positive change.

"It could serve as a catalyst towards changing other things in life, so let's look at power posing as a beginning to thinking about how you can have lasting change," said psychologist Dr. Harris Straytner.

Another study showed those who posed before beginning a mock job interview were more likely to be hired.

There is also research linking power posing before a college entrance exam to higher scores.

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