(Note to self– ask a lot of questions before agreeing to be in a study!)
GAG!
The volunteers were not told the true nature of the experiment (obviously!) and were asked to sniff the samples. At the same time, their brains were scanned.
Group 1:
Absorbent pads were taped to soak up sweat from the skydivers’ armpits just before they made their first tandem jump.
Group 2:
Absorbent pads were taped to the skydiver’s armpits as they ran on a treadmill.
EWWW!
So the answer is YES, people can smell fear!
This means that giving a speech, toast, presentation, (insert your next stress-inducing event), just got real!
Practicing power body language and interacting with confidence are secret weapons to combat fear. One easy yet impactful tip is to practice standing in a launch stance which helps conveys confidence. Start practicing keeping your:
- Feet shoulder-width apart
- Hands loosely at your sides
- Your head up
- Shoulders down
- And don’t block your torso (i.e with hands, books, bags, etc.)
Stand this way until it becomes your default.
And practice your speech, interview questions, conversation starters for that big date, (aka your next sweaty event) so you are prepared and have the bandwidth to focus on some of your nonverbals.
And, of course, wear deodorant!
Your co-pilot,
P.S.
Want more tips on what you can do to strengthen your nonverbal muscles? Shoot me an email and we’ll get started. And it doesn’t even involve taping absorbent pads underneath your armpits, I promise!