I was asked to contribute to an article for The West Australian on the topic of the body language of politicians, in particular, the prevalence of Mark McGowan and Scott Morrison’s superhero power pose in the run-up to the election.

What is a Power Pose? Learn more in The Truth About the Power Pose

Important Note:

The power pose was discredited; however, the current science is clear that the power pose, now called ‘postural feedback’, facilitates an increase in feelings of power. To learn more, read The Truth About the Power Pose.

Here are the questions and answers for the article:

What does the body language of politicians tell us?

Body language can tell us a lot about feelings and preferences, and if we also consider facial expressions, we can better understand someone's emotional state. Typically, politicians are trained in communicating through their body language and voice to influence feelings and behaviours through impression management. 

They learn how to modify or conceal negatively perceived behaviours and deliberately display positive behaviours to convey their desired message or image. For example, stretched fingers of both hands touching the fingertips, pointing upwards, in what we call the steeple—which signals confidence.

Why have we seen a rise in the superhero pose/ power pose among leaders like Mark McGowan and Scott Morrison with hands on hips, chests puffed out and chins up?

When the body is more expansive in these powerful poses, it typically reflects confidence, although it can be staged for impression management. Conversely, when we feel defeated, our body language reflects this, collapsing in on itself—the universal gesture of defeat. Studies of athletes found that congenitally blind competitors displayed the same gestures/behaviours as sighted competitors when winning or losing.

With an upcoming federal election on the horizon, an increase in these superhero poses is possibly due to impression management to appear strong and confident, as we expect our leaders to be. 

Is the superhero pose replacing the hi-vis vest image that we usually see among politicians?

The extensive infrastructure project programme has provided politicians with ample opportunity to don their hi-vis vests, building perceptions of association between themselves and the projects. This hi-vis strategy could also be a deliberate signal of compliance (with regulations), possibly encouraging reciprocal compliance from the electorate. As we move into an election phase, we may see an intentional change in strategy, promoting the image of strength and leadership.