175. Imposter Syndrome Is a Myth
Imposter syndrome is a myth. Well, mostly anyway. We'll unpack this concept of imposter syndrome, or rather, imposter phenomenon, emphasizing that the common perception of it as a 'syndrome' is misleading. In this first part of our two-part series, you'll get a historical overview of this phenomenon, which starts with the work of Dr. Pauline Clance and Dr. Suzanne Imes' research in the 1970s. Most importantly, we'll bust some myths around the "who" and "why" of this phenomenon, hitting on the facts that imposter feelings are universal and not solely linked to self-esteem or specific demographics. The takeaway is this: if we want to address our imposter feelings, we need to look at them more holistically and consider evidence-based strategies to reduce them. Those practical steps will be explored in part 2 of this series.
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Key moments:
00:00 Introduction to Joy Lab Podcast
00:33 Exploring Imposter Syndrome
02:37 History and Origins of Imposter Syndrome
05:53 Modern Perspectives on Imposter Syndrome
08:18 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Sources and Notes:
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- Clance, P. R., & Imes, S. A. (1978). The imposter phenomenon in high achieving women: Dynamics and therapeutic intervention. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice, 15(3), 241–247. Access here.
- Langford, J., & Clance, P. R. (1993). The imposter phenomenon: Recent research findings regarding dynamics, personality and family patterns and their implications for treatment. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 30(3), 495–501. Access here.
- Tran, N. (2023). From imposter phenomenon to infiltrator experience: Decolonizing the mind to claim space and reclaim self. Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology, 29(2), 184–193. Access here.
- Number of doctoral degrees earned in the United States from 1949/50 to 2031/32, by gender.
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