TED TALK: AMY CUDDDY
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Watch Amy caddy’s TED talk on your body language may shape who you are.
The purpose of this assignment is to analyze and critique a public speaking event. You are to analyze the speech or presentation within the course of a two page paper. You are to include the following:
1. The speaker’s name and any background information about the speaker that may be appropriate.
2. The nature or reason for the event
3. A brief summary of the speech
4. Identify who the audience is or who the message is targeted to
5. The speaker’s vocal communication (i.e. volume, pitch, rate of speech, vocal and non-vocal pauses, pronunciation and articulation)
6. Discuss the type of language used
7. The speaker’s nonverbal communication (i.e. personal appearance, body movement, gestures, eye contact, etc.)
8. The organization of the presentation
9. Describe your overall evaluation of the speech. What was your opinion of the speech and why?
10. Did the speaker’s delivery add to or detract from the presentation? Include any recommendation you would make for this to have been a more effective speech.
11. Were there any techniques used by the speaker that you might want to adapt to your speaking style?
Sample Solution
In her TED talk “Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are,” Amy Cuddy discusses the science and psychology behind nonverbal communication. As a professor of social psychology at Harvard University, Cuddy is well-versed in the field of body language and was invited to speak at the TED Global conference in 2012.
The purpose of Cuddy’s speech was to educate viewers about how our nonverbal cues can have a significant impact on our behavior and performance. She explains that by changing our posture and body language we can become more confident regardless if we actually feel empowered or not (Cuddy). This idea is based on research which she conducted with Dana Carney who showed that participants who adopted power poses had higher levels of testosterone—a hormone associated with dominance—than those who adopted low-power poses.
Her message was directed towards individuals from all walks of life, not just academics or researchers like herself. Through her relatable examples such as describing how adopting power poses prior to job interviews or exams can increase confidence, Cuddy conveys her main point succinctly: How we present ourselves through our body language has a profound effect on how others perceive us.
Cuddy’s message encourages us to pay close attention to our gestures during social situations since it helps shape how people see us even before they hear what comes out of our mouths. Her goal is for everyone to understand their own potential for self-empowerment through using simple actions such as standing tall or taking up space (Cuddy). By doing so she hopes viewers will be inspired to take control over their lives instead of letting negative thoughts keep them from achieving goals they desire in both personal & professional realms.
