The Influence of Power Posing of College Students on Career Search Self-Efficacy and Affect: An Exploring Study

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to compare the effects of adopting an expansive (vs. contractive) posture on college students’ perceptions of career search self-efficacy and affect Methods: Participants were 31 Koomin university students (20 males and 11 females). Participants were randomly assigned into two groups involving either an expansive or contractive posture and completed measures of Career Search Self-Efficacy Scale(CSES), the Korean Positive and Negative Affect Schedule(K-PANAS) and Korean-Profile of Mood States (K-POMS). Results: There was a significant difference between the two groups for the positive affect factor of the K-PANAS, and the vigor-activity and fatigue-inertia factors of the K-POMS and job exploration efficacy, interviewing efficacy, networking efficacy factor of CSES. Conclusion: This study confirms that adopting an expansive (vs. contractive) posture can affect career search self-efficacy, positive affect, vigor-activity, and fatigue-inertia ratings in Korean college students despite the known cultural differences to Western culture. It is now necessary to study how to adopting an expansive posture impacts upon performance in other contexts such as daily life and sports.