Larger than Life: Humans' Nonverbal Status Cues Alter Perceived Size

Social dominance and physical size are closely linked. Nonverbal dominance displays in many non-human species are known to increase the displayer's apparent size. Humans also employ a variety of nonverbal cues that increase apparent status, but it is not yet known whether these cues function via a similar mechanism: by increasing the displayer's apparent size.We generated stimuli in which actors displayed high status, neutral, or low status cues that were drawn from the findings of a recent meta-analysis. We then conducted four studies that indicated that nonverbal cues that increase apparent status do so by increasing the perceived size of the displayer. Experiment 1 demonstrated that nonverbal status cues affect perceivers' judgments of physical size. The results of Experiment 2 showed that altering simple perceptual cues can affect judgments of both size and perceived status. Experiment 3 used objective measurements to demonstrate that status cues change targets' apparent size in the two-dimensional plane visible to a perceiver, and Experiment 4 showed that changes in perceived size mediate changes in perceived status, and that the cue most associated with this phenomenon is postural openness.We conclude that nonverbal cues associated with social dominance also affect the perceived size of the displayer. This suggests that certain nonverbal dominance cues in humans may function as they do in other species: by creating the appearance of changes in physical size

Impact of Smoking Ban on Passive Smoke Exposure in Pregnant Non-Smokers in the Southeastern United States

Prenatal passive smoke exposure raises risk for negative birth outcomes. Legislation regulating public smoking has been shown to impact exposure levels, though fewer studies involving pregnant women have been conducted within the U.S. where bans are inconsistent across regions. This study examined the effect of a ban enacted in the southeastern U.S. on pregnant women’s cotinine levels. Additional analyses compared self-reported exposure to cotinine and identified characteristics associated with passive exposure. Pregnant women (N = 851) were recruited prospectively between 2005 and 2011 in North Carolina. Sociodemographic and health data were collected via surveys; maternal blood samples were assayed for cotinine. Among non-active smokers who provided self-report data regarding passive exposure (N = 503), 20% were inconsistent with corresponding cotinine. Among all non-smokers (N = 668), being unmarried, African American, and less educated were each associated with greater passive exposure. Controlling for covariates, mean cotinine was higher prior to the ban compared to after, F(1, 640) = 24.65, p < 0.001. Results suggest that banning smoking in public spaces may reduce passive smoke exposure for non-smoking pregnant women. These data are some of the first to examine the impact of legislation on passive smoke exposure in pregnant women within the U.S. using a biomarker and can inform policy in regions lacking comprehensive smoke-free legislation

Perceived size and status as a function of manipulations of environmental cues in Experiment 2.

<p>Perceived size and status as a function of manipulations of environmental cues in Experiment 2.</p

Perceived size as a function of status cues in Experiment 1.

<p>Where row notations (a, b) differ indicates significant differences among groups.</p

Relationship between posture and perceived status after accounting for perceived size in Experiment 4.

<p>Overall Model 1: <i>F</i>(1, 22) = 46.86, <i>p</i><.001, adjusted <i>R</i>² = .67.</p><p>Overall Model 2: <i>F</i>(2, 21) = 43.06, <i>p</i><.001, adjusted <i>R</i>² = .79.</p

Relative role of status cues in affecting perceived size in Experiment 4.

<p>Overall model: <i>F</i>(5, 18) = 33.70, <i>p</i><.001, adjusted <i>R</i>² = .88.</p

Measured size as a function of status cues in Experiment 3.

<p>Where row notations (a, b) differ indicates significant differences among groups.</p

Perceived size as a function of status cues in Experiment 4.

<p>Where row notations (a, b, c) differ indicates significant differences among groups.</p

Example of photographs altered to influence perceived size of target.

<p>Example of photographs altered to influence perceived size of target.</p