Social Psychologist · Author · TED Speaker
Power. Performance. Bullying. Bravery.
I've spent twenty years trying to understand why we sometimes show up as our boldest, most authentic selves — and why, at other times, we disappear. Why do we freeze when it matters most? Why do some people rise under pressure while others fall apart — and why do some speak up when others stay silent? My work lives at the intersection of power, performance, and belonging. And lately, it's taken me somewhere I didn't expect: into the psychology of bullying, and what it takes to be brave.
TED · 2026 · New Talk
Bullying shapes who we become. It's time to talk about it.
This is the talk I've been building toward for years. Bullying is one of the most pervasive and least understood forces in our lives — and the science of what it does to us, and what we can do about it, turns out to be far more hopeful than you'd think.
Discover BulliedAbout Amy
The scientist who taught the world to stand tall.
People know me for a talk I gave at TED in 2012 — about how the body can shape the mind, about standing tall before you feel tall. I'm glad they do. But that talk was a chapter, not the beginning.
I started somewhere else: wanting to understand how we treat one another — who we trust, who we leave out, and whether what divides us can be repaired. That question still drives everything I do.
Presence was one chapter. My work now — on bullying, and the bravery it takes to stand up — may be the most important thing I've done.
Read my full story
Stop performing confidence.
Start feeling it.
New York Times Bestseller · 500,000+ copies sold · 35 languages
Presence is the book I wrote because I needed it to exist. It's about what happens in those moments when we feel least capable of being ourselves — and the small, science-backed things we can do to get out of our own way.
Get the BookAround the World
Presence in 35 languages.
Presence has been translated for readers across dozens of countries — over 500,000 copies sold worldwide.
TED · 75M+ Views · 3rd Most-Watched TED Talk of All Time
Your Body Language May Shape Who You Are
I was terrified to give this talk. I almost didn't. Seventy-six million views later, I'm glad I didn't listen to that fear.
Watch the talk
New work · Performance
We're all performing now — more than we ever call it that.
Performing isn't just the stage — it's the meeting on video, the post, the talk that gets clipped and replayed. I study how the weight of being watched gets into the body, and how to turn it into lift instead of letting it sink you. It's my newest work, and what I write about for The Athletic.
Read my writing in The AthleticAreas of Work
What Amy thinks about.
Presence & Body Language
The body and the mind aren't separate systems — and the science makes this uncomfortably clear. The postures we hold, how we breathe, the physical space we take up: these don't just express how we feel. They actually create how we feel. And what they create can be changed.
Explore the research →Confidence Under Pressure
We've all been there — the presentation where your mind goes blank, the interview where you sound like a stranger to yourself, the meeting where you had something to say and couldn't say it. This isn't a character flaw. It's a psychological mechanism. And once you understand it, you can work with it.
Read Presence →Leadership & Trust
Machiavelli asked whether a leader should be loved or feared. The data is unambiguous: warmth comes first. Authority built on fear collapses. Authority built on trust compounds. Twenty years of research on this — and it has never once surprised me.
Explore the research →Bullying & Social Bravery
Bullying doesn't end at graduation. We carry it into our marriages, our boardrooms, our group chats — and most of us, at some point, have been a bystander who knew something was wrong and stayed quiet. I've spent years asking what it takes to be braver than that. The answer is more hopeful than you'd expect.
Pre-order Bullied →Identity, Bias & Belonging
Why do we help some people and ignore the suffering of others? Why do we envy some, pity some, admire some, and resent some — often all at once? I've spent my career mapping how we categorize and mistreat one another. Understanding these mechanisms isn't comfortable. But it's the only way to dismantle them.
Explore the research →Leading Through Flux
The pandemic didn't create the uncertainty we're living in — it just made it undeniable. We're in a new era of ongoing disruption: economic, cultural, technological, political. And the old leadership playbooks weren't written for this. I've been studying what actually helps people find their footing when the ground keeps moving.
See speaking topics →Latest Writing
From the page.
The Athletic
Why Even the World's Best Athletes Crumble Under Olympic Pressure
Through the lens of Ilia Malinin and Mikaela Shiffrin, Amy examines the neuroscience of why extreme evaluation triggers physiological responses that can undo even the world's most prepared athletes — and what the science says about performing when the stakes are highest.
Read article →The Athletic
Body Language in Sports Isn't Mystical. It Can Win or Lose the Next Play
How athletes' posture and physical reactions after mistakes affect their own psychology, demoralize teammates, and signal vulnerability to opponents — with examples from Kevin Durant, Caleb Williams, Sue Bird, and Damian Lillard.
Read article →The Athletic
Athletes Train for Almost Every Scenario. But There's a Stressor Sports Hasn't Caught Up To
Online harassment from sports bettors creates a chronic "social-evaluative threat" that athletes haven't been trained to handle — and why the body never fully adapts to the stress of anticipated public judgment.
Read article →Listen
In conversation
On presence, power, and belonging — with Brené Brown, Simon Sinek, Steven Bartlett, Lewis Howes, and more.
Praise for Presence
Words from readers.
“Amy Cuddy is making the world a braver place with her book, Presence. Weaving together science, practical examples, and storytelling, Cuddy shows us how bringing our boldest, most authentic selves to challenging situations inspires others to do the same. This book is a game-changer!”
Brené Brown
Daring Greatly · Rising Strong
“Amy Cuddy is the high priestess of self-confidence for the self-doubting. In Presence, she uses her warmth, empathy, and laser-sharp intelligence to decode the mysteries of presence under social pressure. A must-read for — well, for everyone.”
Susan Cain
Quiet: The Power of Introverts
“There is one thing that separates those who do from those who don't: power. Amy Cuddy helps us understand what it means to build our personal power, keep it strong when it falters and help us steer clear of arrogance. This book is a must read for every doer out there.”
Simon Sinek
Leaders Eat Last · Start with Why
Published Works
Books by Amy Cuddy
Grounding groundbreaking science in deeply human stories.
2015 · Little, Brown and Company
Presence
Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges
The New York Times bestseller that teaches you to stop worrying about the impression you're making and focus on the impression you're making on yourself — transforming the way you approach every high-stakes moment.
Bullied
2027 · HarperCollins
Bullied
The Culture of Cruelty and the Promise of Social Bravery
A groundbreaking exploration of the pervasive, often invisible impact of bullying on individuals and society — and a powerful guide to reclaiming dignity, safety, and the capacity to thrive.
Stay in Touch
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