Fighting Impostor Phenomenon

Fighting Impostor Phenomenon begins with understanding it...and ourselves

We’ve all been there…feeling unsure of ourselves and our abilities but for no logical reason. Despite evidence of success, we feel inadequate or like an intellectual phony.

The popular media calls it Impostor Syndrome. Academics call it Impostor Phenomenon. No matter the name, it can rattle even seemingly confident individuals without warning. 

Studies suggest more than 70 percent of people feel like an impostor at some point in their career, and the experience can be accompanied by feelings of anxiety, stress or depression.

So, how do we prevent IP from emerging?

Rebecca Badawy, associate professor of Management whose research interests include the Imposter Phenomenon, says we don’t yet know enough to confidently answer that question (no pun intended).

“We need more time in the discovery phase before we jump into the prescription phase,” said Badawy.

IP has roots in Psychology and has only recently been studied by business scholars who want to know how it impacts work behaviors.

Badawy, who holds a PhD in Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management from State University of New York at Buffalo, is at the forefront of that quest.

Her recent research published in the academic journal, Personality and Individual Differences, suggests men and women react differently to feeling like an impostor.

“Though more females felt it, the males that felt it reacted more negatively to it,” said Badawy. “So, there’s either this sense that females are more resilient to these feelings or there’s something about the male gender norm that’s making it tougher for males to deal with it.”

Since IP deals with an individual’s perception of how others see him or her, research on the topic often uses self-reported data, but that can be unreliable. Badawy says another challenge is that the measurement tool scholars currently use is calibrated for clinical use, not the general population.

She is currently exploring new ways to study IP. In fact, YSU awarded her a 2020-21 research professorship to focus on moving her IP work forward.

“What we learn now about Impostor Phenomenon has the potential to empower individuals in the future to take control and lessen its influence in their lives,” she said.

Badawy, now in her sixth year on the YSU faculty, also researches such issues as person-environment fit, identity and diversity.