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The impostor syndrome is also referred to as the impostor phenomenon. Those affected suffer from severe self-doubt.
August 12, 2024
Margit Hiebl
They are successful – and yet constantly afraid that their supposed competence could be exposed as fraud. Typical for people with the so-called impostor syndrome.
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Welcome to the club, one might say. A club with the best company. Michelle Obama, Charlize Theron, Jennifer Lopez, or Tom Hanks are some of the most prominent members. They have all publicly confessed to frequently feeling like someone who snuck in success, like an impostor – a feeling that gave the impostor syndrome its name.
In scientific terminology, the widespread use of the term "syndrome" is now avoided because it is not, as the word suggests, a disease . Here it is referred to as a phenomenon or self-concept. It was first described in 1978 by American psychologists Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes.
They had observed at their faculty at Georgia State University in Atlanta that many female students, despite outstanding achievements, often felt that they did not deserve their place at the university and developed a fear of not being able to complete their studies.
A study found that they often attributed their success more to external circumstances than to their competence
A subsequent study with other female students and graduates also found that they often attributed their success more to external circumstances than to their competence. Further research has now confirmed that those particularly affected are indeed people who are considered successful and highly qualified.
An interesting area of tension, as phenomena like low self-esteem are not typically associated with successful people and leaders. On the other hand, self-doubt affects many people, especially in challenging times like these. Aren't we all a bit of an imposter?
"No, this is more than just self-doubt, insecurity, and fear of failure," explains Prof. Dr. Sonja Rohrmann, author of the book "When great achievements lead to great self-doubt. The Impostor Self-Concept and its Effects" .
"The Impostor Self-Concept is a complex personality construct that encompasses contradictory subjective experiences in the context of various maladaptive personality facets when there are objective performance successes, representing more than a conglomerate of established personality traits," says the head of the Department of Differential Psychology and Psychological Diagnostics at Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main.
Empirically evidenced factors in this construct include: neuroticism (especially anxiety and depression), low self-esteem, low self-efficacy expectation, misunderstood and excessive perfectionism, and the feeling of not fitting into a certain environment.
It is assumed that about 70 percent of people suffer from the phenomenon at least once in their lives.
These characteristics can also influence each other – as emotional instability can, for example, have an impact on low self-esteem or self-efficacy. Nevertheless, the Impostor Self-Concept is considered an independent construct.
It is now assumed that a total of about 70 percent of people suffer from the phenomenon at least once in their lives, both men and women. About half of the executives have already experienced it - according to a study by the consulting company KPMG, about 75 percent of female executives from various industries are said to be affected.
Huge numbers that make it clear that probably more people have an impostor theme than you think. And this is because people in their own environment rarely deal openly with it and many probably keep their self-doubt to themselves. Yet they perform perfectly.
© Amine M’siouri
People with impostor syndrome do not recognize their achievements and are under enormous pressure.
But how do impostors manage to be successful despite their inner turmoil? Because, unlike real con artists, they are actually pretty good at what they do. "They are exceptionally competent individuals whose personality traits enable them to convert their fear of failure and need to be special into a pronounced drive and strong motivation to perform," explains Prof. Dr. Rohrmann.
"They are willing to work exceptionally hard, and their tendency towards perfectionism also contributes to very positive work results." However, this success comes at a high price, the expert notes. "Individuals with an impostor self-concept often exceed their limits, and work takes up such a large part of their lives that there is no longer any work-life balance."
Individuals with an impostor self-concept often exceed their limits
The time that goes into the job is missing for hobbies, friends, family. The constant stress is draining and can lead to burnout and even depression. It also manifests physically: It is not uncommon for headaches , gastrointestinal issues, sleep disturbances and even high blood pressure are the typical accompanying symptoms.
But how does such a distorted perception of oneself arise? It is usually an interplay of various factors. On the one hand, as described, it lies in the personality structure. Often the foundation is already laid in the family, reports Rohrmann. For example, when a child is always given the feeling that they are loved for good performance and not for their own sake – so a high performance and competition orientation depends on performance-based self-worth.
Often the foundation is laid within the family
Another example: A close family member is attributed with the role of the "intelligent" one, while the imposter is conveyed to be the beautiful, empathetic, or social child. Doubts about one's own competence can also arise if no one in the family has studied before, and the affected person is the first to pursue an academic career – thus moving in an unfamiliar environment.
Something else commonly found in imposter biographies: the endeavor to fulfill the emotional needs of their parents – that is, in the sense of parentification, the dream of advancement is passed from one generation to the next. The child tries to meet the expectations of their parents as best as possible.
How does one recognize if they belong to the club of impostors? Typical characteristics are: the feeling of not actually being as competent as others assume. The question "am I good enough?". The tendency to attribute success to external factors like good timing, charm, luck, or a quota. And, of course: the fear of being exposed one day and failing at a task – and then everyone knows.
It is also important to distinguish: Not every healthy self-doubt is a sign of an imposter issue – only if it tends to increase over time. The extent of the tendency can be determined with special questionnaires – such as the "Clance IP Scale" by Paula Rose Clance or the "ISF Impostor Self-concept Questionnaire" developed by Sonja Rohrmann and colleagues for the work and organizational psychology or clinical field.
Not every healthy self-doubt is a sign of an imposter issue
It includes 15 statements that describe oneself or one's feelings regarding personal or professional achievements and successes. Here are some example responses: I avoid situations where I am judged by others whenever possible. Or: Although I can already look back on significant successes, I fear not being able to meet the expectations of others in the future.
And: I can remember situations in which I performed poorly much better than situations where I succeeded. The statements are classified on a scale from "does not apply at all" to "applies very much" and a score is determined. The result of the test can then be a basis for an initial self-assessment or for a conversation with a professional.
Prof. Dr. Rohrmann advises coaching or psychotherapy if there is strong distress. "This means when the person affected suffers from feelings of inferiority or fears of failure beyond a normal level, up to burnout and depression. Or if the deviation of emotional or cognitive experiences is so strong that the pressure results in severe impairments in everyday life."
As first aid measures, the expert recommends keeping a diary for successes and progress
In therapy, dysfunctional thoughts or distorted thinking patterns and behaviors such as excessive work style, exaggerated perfectionism, or tendency to procrastinate are identified and changed. "The goal is to build self-esteem that functions independently of the evaluation by others."
What can you do yourself? As first aid measures, the expert recommends keeping a diary for successes and progress – because writing them down helps to evaluate them more realistically. But talking about it also helps – perhaps even with colleagues who support you in changing your thought patterns.
Also: change the way you deal with compliments – don't downplay them, but simply say thank you. And: always accept challenges – despite the fears (after all, you can work on them). It can also be helpful to take a closer look at your environment: because racism, sexism, or prejudices can also trigger or reinforce a feeling of inadequacy.
Change the way you deal with compliments – don't downplay them, just say thank you
Then it may be necessary to work on that rather than on one's own mindset. So anyone who suffers from increasing performance pressure and massive self-doubt should clarify as quickly as possible whether an impostor issue is behind it or not. Then countermeasures can be taken early or a path of suffering can come to an end.
So that a promotion does not become overwhelming, one can also admit weaknesses as a manager and thus appear even more confident; when a professional reorientation is a further development; or when as a self-employed person one does not sell oneself short. Because withdrawal or going by the book does not lie in the nature of a classic impostor.
