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tall also do better in politics on television: on-screen people are only six inches tall, so we are left subconsciously to decide how tall the person really is. The height we decide they are and the amount of power we give them is directly related to the power and authority of their presentation. This is why so many short actors, politicians, and personalities do so well on television—they simply act tall. For example, Australian Prime Minister John Howard became stuck with the nickname “Little Johnny” because, on television, his approach was softer and quiet. Our surveys found that the voting electorate perceived him as five feet six inches— reasonably short for a man—whereas in fact he was five feet nine inches. One of his adversaries, former Prime Minister Bob Hawke, was constantly seen as over six feet tall, as he always gave a “big” performance. In fact, he was five feet seven inches tall.

On television, a strong performance

makes you seem taller.

Pioneering research by Wilson (1968) found that when a student addressed other students, he would be seen as five feet eight and a half inches tall by the other students. When the same student was introduced as a professor, the audience perceived him as six feet three inches tall. A powerful performance or an impressive title both lead to you being perceived as taller.

Try the Floor Test

If you want to test the authority that goes with height, try this exercise with a friend. First, lie on the floor and get your friend to stand over you to maximize the height difference. Next, ask your friend to reprimand you as loudly and forcefully as he can. Then change positions—you stand, he lies down—and ask him to repeat his reprimand. You'll find that not only does he find it nearly impossible to do, his voice will sound different and he'll lack any authority while trying.

The Downsides of Height

Being tall, however, is not always a bonus. While tall people often command more respect than short people, height can also be detrimental to some aspects of one-to-one communication, for instance, where you need to “talk on the same level” or have an “eye-to-eye” discussion with another person and do not want be perceived as “too big for your boots.”

In Britain, Philip Heinicy, a six-feet-eight-inches-tall chemical salesperson, formed the Tall Person's Club to promote the practical, medical, and social needs of the taller members of society. He found that his height was threatening to his customers; they felt imposed upon and could not concentrate on what he had to say. He discovered that when he gave a sales presentation in a seated position, not only did the atmosphere become more conducive to good communication, the removal of his physical threat also increased his bottom-line sales by a whopping 62 percent.

How Body Lowering Can Sometimes Raise Status

There are some circumstances in which lowering your body can be a dominance signal. This happens when you slouch down and make yourself comfortable in an easy chair in another person's home while the owner is standing. It's the complete informality on the other person's territory that communicates the dominant or aggressive attitude.

A person will always be superior and protective on his own territory, especially in his own home, and so practicing submissive gestures and behavior is effective for getting the person on your side.

How TV Politicians Can Win Votes

For over three decades, we have advised people who appear in the public eye on how to be seen as credible and believable. They have ranged from rock stars and politicians to weather forecasters and prime ministers. On one occasion, two political leaders were invited to give two television debates about how they would run the country. One candidate—call him candidate A—was five feet nine inches and was seen by voters as shorter due to his milder, quieter approach, while his competitor—candidate B—was six feet two inches and perceived by the electorate as even taller due to his assertive, authoritative attitude. After the first TV debate,