Standard posture, postural mirroring and client-perceived rapport.

Sharpley, Christopher F; Halat, Jennifer; Rabinowicz, Tammy; Weiland, Birgit; Stafford, Jane

doi:10.1080/09515070110088843

Cited by 57Counseling Practices and SupervisionPsychotherapy Techniques and ApplicationsPsychology, Coaching, and Therapy

Standard posture, postural mirroring and client-perceived rapport.

Sharpley, Christopher F, Halat, Jennifer, Rabinowicz, Tammy, Weiland, Birgit, Stafford, Jane·2001·Counselling Psychology Quarterly

DOI 10.1080/09515070110088843

Open this paper in CoChat — free account

Abstract

The relationship between client-perceived rapport (as measured from a standardized client) and physical mirroring and the standard counsellor posture was investigated with interviews performed by 59 post-graduate students in counselling psychology. Videotaped recordings were used to code counsellor posture in the categories of: total postural mirroring, mirroring of the hands and arms, mirroring of the legs, mirroring of the torso, and the frequency of the standard counsellor posture across each minute of the interviews. These minutes were classified as 'high' in rapport or 'low' in rapport as measured by the standardized client. Results indicated that there was significantly more postural mirroring of the torso during high versus low minutes, but that the counsellor standard posture occurred significantly more frequently during low rapport minutes than in high rapport minutes. However, when examined over the entire length of the interviews, these data were able to be understood in terms of counsellor 'flexibility' of response rather than simply whether these postural behaviours were present or not. Implications for counsellor training are discussed.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1080/09515070110088843

Cites

Statistics

Recomputing p-values needs the paper’s full text.

Claims the paper makes

We couldn’t retrieve this paper’s full text, so its claims and self-check weren’t run. The registry and citation checks still apply.

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

Therapists are rated more favorably and as more empathic when they are instructed to make their movements more (rather than less) synchronized with the patient.
“Consistent with this, several experiments that examined simulated psychotherapy sessions have shown that therapists are rated more favorably and as more empathic when they are instructed to make their movements more (rather than less) synchronized with the patient (Trout and Rosenfeld, 1980; Maurer and Tindall, 1983; Sharpley et al., 2001).”
From Synchrony in Psychotherapy: A Review and an Integrative Framework for the Therapeutic Alliance (2016) · cites this paper as Sharpley et al., 2001

Still being checked.

Sorted by citations

Depression and Social Identity: An Integrative Review
Cruwys, T., Haslam, S. A., Dingle, G. A., Haslam, C., & Jetten, J. (2014) · Personality and Social Psychology Review · doi:10.1177/1088868314523839 · Cited by 498 · see citing works
Synchrony in Psychotherapy: A Review and an Integrative Framework for the Therapeutic Alliance
Koole, S. L., & Tschacher, W. (2016) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00862 · Cited by 456 · see citing works
“…examined simulated psychotherapy sessions have shown that therapists are rated more favorably and as more empathic when they are instructed to make their movements more (rather than less) synchronized with the patient (Trout and Rosenfeld, 1980; Maurer and Tindall, 1983; Sharpley et al., 2001).”
Background
The Role of Rapport in Investigative Interviewing: A Review
Abbe, A., & Brandon, S. E. (2012) · Journal of Investigative Psychology and Offender Profiling · doi:10.1002/jip.1386 · Cited by 229 · see citing works
A new methodical approach in neuroscience: assessing inter-personal brain coupling using functional near-infrared imaging (fNIRI) hyperscanning
Scholkmann, F., Holper, L., Wolf, U., & Wolf, M. (2013) · Frontiers in Human Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fnhum.2013.00813 · Cited by 144 · see citing works
Modeling Emerging Interpersonal Synchrony and its Related Adaptive Short-Term Affiliation and Long-Term Bonding: A Second-Order Multi-Adaptive Neural Agent Model
Hendrikse, S. C. F., Jan Treur, A., & Koole, S. L. (2023) · International Journal of Neural Systems · doi:10.1142/s0129065723500387 · Cited by 137 · see citing works
Verona Coding Definitions of Emotional Sequences (VR-CoDES): Conceptual framework and future directions
Piccolo, L. D., Finset, A., Mellblom, A. V., Figueiredo‐Braga, M., Korsvold, L., Zhou, Y., Zimmermann, C., & Humphris, G. M. (2017) · Patient Education and Counseling · doi:10.1016/j.pec.2017.06.026 · Cited by 78 · see citing works
After praise and encouragement: Emotional support strategies used by birth doulas in the USA and Canada
Gilliland, A. L. (2010) · Midwifery · doi:10.1016/j.midw.2010.04.006 · Cited by 68 · see citing works
The medical consultation viewed as a value chain: a neurobehavioral approach to emotion regulation in doctor-patient interaction.
Finset, A., & Mjaaland, T. (2009) · Patient Education and Counseling · doi:10.1016/j.pec.2008.12.007 · Cited by 67 · see citing works
Witness and Suspect Perceptions of Working Alliance and Interviewing Style
Vanderhallen, M., Vervaeke, G. A. C., & Holmberg, U. (2011) · Journal of Investigative Psychology and Offender Profiling · doi:10.1002/jip.138 · Cited by 61 · see citing works
Between Investigator and Suspect: The Role of the Working Alliance in Investigative Interviewing
Vanderhallen, M., & Vervaeke, G. A. C. (2014) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-9642-7_4 · Cited by 44 · see citing works
Counsellor facial expression and client-perceived rapport
Sharpley, C. F., Jeffrey, A. M., & McMah, T. (2006) · Counselling Psychology Quarterly · doi:10.1080/09515070601058706 · Cited by 39 · see citing works
Self-citation
I-sharing on the couch: on the clinical implications of shared subjective experience.
Pinel, E. C., Bernecker, S. L., & Rampy, N. M. (2015) · Journal of Psychotherapy Integration · doi:10.1037/a0038895 · Cited by 35 · see citing works
On Becoming in Sync with Yourself and Others: An Adaptive Agent Model for How Persons Connect by Detecting Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Synchrony
Hendrikse, S. C. F., Jan Treur, A., Wilderjans, T. F., Dikker, S., & Koole, S. L. (2023) · Human-Centric Intelligent Systems · doi:10.1007/s44230-023-00019-1 · Cited by 28 · see citing works
Alliance Formations in Couple Therapy: A Multimodal and Multimethod Study
Kykyri, V., Tourunen, A., Nyman‐Salonen, P., Kurri, K., Wahlström, J., Kaartinen, J., Penttonen, M., & Seikkula, J. (2019) · Journal of Couple & Relationship Therapy · doi:10.1080/15332691.2018.1551166 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Investigating Merger
Weinberger, J. L., & Smith, B. D. (2011) · Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association · doi:10.1177/0003065111411481 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Nonverbal Communication in Clinical Contexts
Finset, A., & Piccolo, L. D. (2010) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-1-4419-6807-4_5 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Relationship-specific and relationship-independent behavioural adaptivity in affiliation and bonding: A multi-adaptive dynamical systems approach
Hendrikse, S. C. F., Jan Treur, A., & Koole, S. L. (2023) · Cognitive Systems Research · doi:10.1016/j.cogsys.2023.101182 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
Studying the process of psychoanalytic parent–infant psychotherapy: Embodied and discursive aspects
Avdi, E., Amiran, K., Baradon, T., Broughton, C., Sleed, M., Spencer, R., & Shai, D. (2020) · Infant Mental Health Journal · doi:10.1002/imhj.21888 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
Nonverbal Synchrony in Couple Therapy Linked to Clients’ Well-Being and the Therapeutic Alliance
Nyman‐Salonen, P., Kykyri, V., Tschacher, W., Muotka, J. S., Tourunen, A., Penttonen, M., & Seikkula, J. (2021) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.718353 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
A Laboratory Study Comparing the Effectiveness of Verbal and Nonverbal Rapport-Building Techniques in Interviews
Novotny, E. R., Frank, M. G., & Grizzard, M. (2021) · Communication Studies · doi:10.1080/10510974.2021.1975141 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Patterns of utilization and a case illustration of an interactive text-based psychotherapy delivery system
Nitzburg, G. C., & Farber, B. A. (2019) · Journal of Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1002/jclp.22718 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Becoming Attuned to Each Other Over Time: A Computational Neural Agent Model for the Role of Time Lags in Subjective Synchrony Detection and Related Behavioral Adaptivity
Hendrikse, S. C. F., Jan Treur, A., Wilderjans, T. F., Dikker, S., & Koole, S. L. (2022) · Lecture notes in computer science · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-15037-1_30 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
Significant Moments in a Couple Therapy Session: Towards the Integration of Different Modalities of Analysis
Nyman‐Salonen, P., Vall, B., Laitila, A. A., Borcsa, M., Penttonen, M., Tourunen, A., Kykyri, V., Kaartinen, J., Tsatsishvili, V., & Seikkula, J. (2020) · European Family Therapy Association series · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-36560-8_4 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Switching In and Out of Sync: A Controlled Adaptive Network Model of Transition Dynamics in the Effects of Interpersonal Synchrony on Affiliation
Hendrikse, S. C. F., Jan Treur, A., Wilderjans, T. F., Dikker, S., & Koole, S. L. (2023) · Studies in computational intelligence · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-21131-7_7 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Predicting working alliance in psychotherapy: A multi-modal machine learning approach
Doorn, K. A., Cicconet, M., Cohn, J. F., & Aafjes, M. (2025) · Psychotherapy Research · doi:10.1080/10503307.2024.2428702 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Talk‐in‐interaction and neuropsychological processes
Finset, A. (2014) · Scandinavian Journal of Psychology · doi:10.1111/sjop.12127 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Mimicry in psychotherapy – an actor partner model of therapists’ and patients’ non-verbal behavior and its effects on the working alliance
Kämpf, M. S., Nestler, S., Hansmeier, J., Glombiewski, J. A., & Exner, C. (2020) · Psychotherapy Research · doi:10.1080/10503307.2020.1849849 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Long‐term psychodynamic psychotherapy in a face‐to‐face versus videoconferencing setting: A single case study
Andreas, S., Gablonski, T., Tschacher, W., Gebhardt, A., Rabung, S., Schulz, H., & Kadur, J. (2022) · Journal of Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1002/jclp.23411 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
A Multi-timescale Multi-adaptive Dynamical System Approach for Relationship-Specific and Relationship-Independent Adaptivity in Affiliation and Bonding
Hendrikse, S. C. F., Jan Treur, A., & Koole, S. L. (2025) · Studies in systems, decision and control · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-99968-0_13 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
On the Interplay of Interpersonal Synchrony, Short-Term Affiliation and Long-Term Bonding: A Second-Order Multi-adaptive Neural Agent Model
Hendrikse, S. C. F., Jan Treur, A., Wilderjans, T. F., Dikker, S., & Koole, S. L. (2022) · IFIP advances in information and communication technology · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-08333-4_4 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Understanding rapport-building in investigative interviews: Does rapport's effect on witness memory and suggestibility depend on the interviewer?
Kieckhaefer, J. (2014) · doi:10.25148/etd.fi14040873 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Do Children Laugh Like Their Parents? Conversational Laughter Mimicry Occurrence and Acoustic Alignment in Middle-Childhood
Mazzocconi, C., O’Brien, B., Bodur, K., & Fourtassi, A. (2025) · Journal of Nonverbal Behavior · doi:10.1007/s10919-025-00478-z · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Studying Nonverbal Synchrony in Couple Therapy—Observing Implicit Posture and Movement Synchrony
Nyman‐Salonen, P., Tourunen, A., Kykyri, V., Penttonen, M., Kaartinen, J., & Seikkula, J. (2020) · Contemporary Family Therapy · doi:10.1007/s10591-020-09555-5 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Growing Connectedness Through Synchrony: The Role of Subjective Analysis of Intrapersonal Synchrony and Interpersonal Synchrony Within an Adaptive Agent Model
Hendrikse, S. C. F., Jan Treur, A., Wilderjans, T. F., Dikker, S., & Koole, S. L. (2025) · Studies in systems, decision and control · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-99968-0_11 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Experiences of mimicry in eating disorders
Erwin, S., Liu, P. J., Datta, N., Nicholas, J. K., Rivera‐Cancel, A. M., Leary, M. R., Chartrand, T. L., & Zucker, N. L. (2022) · Journal of Eating Disorders · doi:10.1186/s40337-022-00607-9 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Gaze avoidance in parent–infant psychotherapy: Manifestations and technical suggestions
Salomonsson, B. (2021) · The International Journal of Psychoanalysis · doi:10.1080/00207578.2021.1953384 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
iCAST: Ein praktisches Modell für die Integration nonverbaler Signale in die Psychotherapie
Ramseyer, F. (2022) · Die Psychotherapie · doi:10.1007/s00278-022-00618-6 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
The power of affective communication
Finset, A. (2014) · Patient Education and Counseling · doi:10.1016/j.pec.2014.02.006 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Effects of mirroring-based DMT intervention on kinesthetic empathy and prosocial behavior
Chen, F., Muhamad, H. B., & Luo, J. (2025) · The Arts in Psychotherapy · doi:10.1016/j.aip.2025.102341 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
INTERACTIVE BEHAVIOUR IN PIGEONS: VISUAL DISPLAY INTERACTIONS AS A MODEL FOR VISUAL COMMUNICATION
Lela, E., & Ware, R. E. (2011) · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Reading the Social Clock: Analyzing Nonverbal Coordination Dynamics in Casual Chat and Conflict
Bente, G., Schmälzle, R., Jahn, N. T., & Reimers, M. A. (2025) · Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1111/nyas.70118 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
The Effect of Transition Dynamics in Synchrony on Social Interaction Adaptivity: A Multi-adaptive Network Model
Hendrikse, S. C. F., Jan Treur, A., Wilderjans, T. F., Dikker, S., & Koole, S. L. (2025) · Studies in systems, decision and control · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-99968-0_15 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Needs Assessment for Animal-Assisted Interventions: Factors Influencing Implementation of Dogs as Judiciary Aids in Criminal Justice Processes in CPS Cases
MacNamara, M. (2013) · Digital Commons - DU (University of Denver) · Cited by 1 · see citing works
心理臨床場面でのノンバーバル・スキルに関する実験的検討 : カウンセラーのミラーリングが共感の認知に与える影響について
青柳, 宏. (2013) · カウンセリング研究 · doi:10.11544/cou.46.2_83
Counsellor contributions to the therapeutic alliance: From the client's perspective
Duff, C. T. (2008)
Responding to Client Emotional Expression; A Study From the Perspective of Self-Reported Securely-Attached Novice Counsellors
Leung, J. (2015) · uO Research (University of Ottawa) · doi:10.20381/ruor-6600
Een studie naar non-verbale synchroniciteit in relatietherapie door observatie van impliciet synchrone houdingen en bewegingen
Nyman‐Salonen, P., Tourunen, A., Kykyri, V., Penttonen, M., Kaartinen, J., & Seikkula, J. (2022) · Gezinstherapie Wereldwijd · doi:10.1007/s12440-022-00164-2
L’évitement du regard dans la psychothérapie parents-bébé : manifestations et suggestions techniques
Salomonsson, B. (2023) · L’Année psychanalytique internationale · doi:10.3917/lapsy.231.0021
iCAST: Possible Steps Toward the Integration of Nonverbal Signals into Psychotherapeutic Practice
Ramseyer, F. (2024) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-71904-2_11
Mimicry in Psychological Disorders and Psychotherapy
Kämpf, M. S., & Exner, C. (2024) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-62634-0_15
Body Talk: Thoughts and Feelings in Action
Frank, M. G., Glowacki, Z. R., Neurohr, M., Nwogu, I., & Solbu, A. (2024) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-70064-4_13
Emerging synchrony and synchrony transitions and their effects on development of affiliation in social interaction adaptivity: Comparative computational analysis of different synchrony and synchrony transition detection methods
Hendrikse, S. C. F., Jan Treur, A., & Koole, S. L. (2025) · Cognitive Systems Research · doi:10.1016/j.cogsys.2025.101399
Additional file 1 of Experiences of mimicry in eating disorders
Erwin, S., Liu, P. J., Datta, N., Nicholas, J. K., Rivera‐Cancel, A. M., Leary, M., Chartrand, T. L., & Zucker, N. L. (2022) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.20327383
The Adaptive Interplay of Interpersonal Synchrony, Short-Term Affiliation and Long-Term Bonding: A Multi-timescale Multi-adaptive Agent Model
Hendrikse, S. C. F., Jan Treur, A., & Koole, S. L. (2025) · Studies in systems, decision and control · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-99968-0_12
The Role of Timing in Synchrony Detection and Social Interaction Adaptivity: Including Time Lags in a Second-Order Adaptive Agent Model
Hendrikse, S. C. F., Jan Treur, A., Wilderjans, T. F., Dikker, S., & Koole, S. L. (2025) · Studies in systems, decision and control · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-99968-0_14
GRAB-HAI : Generating Reciprocally Adaptive Behavior for Human-Agent Interaction
Woo, J. (2023) · theses.fr (ABES) · doi:10.70675/7456411dzb289z4b12za36bz2d598a386069
The Use of Mimicry to Promote Vaccination Uptake
Muniak, P. (2026) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-032-18151-0_7

Effect of postural congruence on client’s perception of counselor empathy.
Maurer, R. E., & Tindall, J. H. (1983) · Journal of Counseling Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-0167.30.2.158 · Cited by 154 · see citing works
THE EFFECT OF POSTURAL CONGRUENCE ON CLIENT PERCEPTION OF COUNSELOR EMPATHY
Maurer, R. E. (1982) · Fordham Research Commons (Fordham University)
When does counsellor forward lean influence client-perceived rapport?
Sharpley, C. F., & Sagris, A. (1995) · British Journal of Guidance and Counselling · doi:10.1080/03069889500760371 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
Self-citation
Effects of postural congruence on client’s perceptions of counselor empathy
Maurer, R. E., & Tindall, J. H. (1983)
Microanalysis of Face to Face Communication: The Effects of Language, Postural Mirroring and Counsellor Standard Position on Joining in Therapy
Knight, K. (2009) · National University System Repository (National University System)

Authors: Sharpley, C. F., Halat, J., Rabinowicz, T., Weiland, B., & Stafford, J.
Affiliations: Bond University (AU)
Monash University (AU)
ORCID: Sharpley, Christopher F
Stafford, Jane
Venue: Counselling Psychology Quarterly
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Published: 2001-12
Volume: 14
Issue: 4
Pages: 267-280
ISSN: 0951-5070 (ISSN-L)
1469-3674
DOI: 10.1080/09515070110088843
OpenAlex: W1996286562
Cited by: 57
References: 0
Citations by year: 2026: 1 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 1
FWCI: 0.00
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Locations: Counselling Psychology Quarterly (publishedVersion)
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Counseling Practices and Supervision
Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications
Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Psychology, Coaching, and Therapy
Keywords: counselor education, nonverbal communication, videotaped interviews

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review

Standard posture, postural mirroring and client-perceived rapport.

Abstract

Integrity signals

Claims the paper makes

Claims other papers make about this one

Cites

Cited by

Related

Record

About these checks