The Ultimate Body Language Book

Boardrooms present an interesting power effect. In this case “A” is the head of the table because he
benefits by seeing who might be entering through the door. “B” is also head of the table, but might be
taken by surprise as the door is at his back. Power trickles down from the head of the table to “C” and
“D” (flaking the head), “E” and “F” (flanking the flanks), and finally “G” and “H” who share the
lowest rank..
earliest research studies was done by American psychologist Robert Sommer of the University of
California in the 1950’s. He examined the effects of extensive renovations done to an old age home.
The ward received new colourful paint, new lighting was installed, new chairs brought in and several
small rooms were converted into one large day room. The furniture was also re-arranged to make
conversations more likely amongst the patients by creating more face-to-face encounters. This
rearrangement was based on what he observed daily in the hallways just outside the ward. Here, every
morning the chairs were placed into straight rows, shoulder to shoulder, against the wall to make
mopping easier. But if you entered sometime later in the day, you’d find them re-arranged into groups.
It was the patient’s family members who moved the chairs to speak with the patients, rather than what
the patient actually preferred themselves. From this observation and the fact that any changes in the