Defining imposter syndrome

While I have posted about imposter syndrome before (here), I have just realised that I have not yet defined this concept. So this post is the post to begin this work!

Imposter syndrome is that plunging anxiety of - while appearing to be knowledgeable - we are actually frauds, that our fatuous claims to expertise will be exposed, and we will be "publicly humiliated" (Denholm & Evans, 2009, p. 8).

Formalised by Clance and Imes (1978) and originally known as the imposter phenomenon, it was initially thought to largely affect women and minorities. However, as time has gone on, it has become obvious that this is a human condition across ages, stages, genders, identity and ethnicity (Addison et al., 2022; Kearns, 2015).

What tends to happen is that we feel inexpert and vulnerable. We look for a reason to justify our feelings (perhaps we perceive a lack experience or education). We work hard for mastery, and start to feel optimistic, but just as we have attained our goal, and feel the success, we are worried that we are already falling behind. The self-doubt re-emerges. And we hop on the carousel for another round. And round. And round (Kearns, 2015; and the diagram accompanying this post, p. 4). It is easy to see how self-destructive this thought pattern can be.

We can test just how vulnerable we are to imposter syndrome by completing the Clance imposter syndrome test online (here; Means, 2014). When we find ourselves falling down this rabbit hole, we need to work hard at checking in with our peers to help us to break our cycle of "I am not worthy". Remember that our institutions seem to think that we are worthy, otherwise they wouldn't pay our salaries.

The reality check of talking to our colleagues is one of the best ways for us to exorcise these demons of self-doubt.

Sam

References:

Addison, M., Breeze, M., & Taylor, Y. (Eds.). (2022). The Palgrave Handbook of Imposter Syndrome in Higher Education. Palgrave Macmillan.

Clance, P. R., & Imes, S. (1978). The Imposter Phenomenon in High Achieving Women: Dynamics and Therapeutic Intervention. Psychotherapy Theory, Research and Practice, 15(3), 241-247.

Denholm, C., & Evans, T. (Eds.). (2009). Beyond Doctorates Downunder: Maximizing the impact of your doctorate from Australia and New Zealand. ACER Press.

Kearns, H. (2015). The Imposter Syndrome: Why successful people often feel like frauds. Thinkwell.

Means, N. (2014). Clance Imposter Phenomenon Test. http://impostortest.nickol.as/