Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 19, 2026
09:49
Holistic Facial Composite Creation and Subsequent Video Line-up Eyewitness Identification Paradigm
Published on: December 24, 2015
14.7K
Validation of the Impostor Phenomenon among Managers.
Sonja Rohrmann1, Myriam N Bechtoldt2, Mona Leonhardt1
1Department of Psychology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt Germany.
Frontiers in Psychology
|June 18, 2016
Summary
The impostor phenomenon is a distinct personality style, not influenced by gender. It correlates with anxiety, negative self-perception, perfectionism, and procrastination, leading to increased work-related stress.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Personality Psychology
Background:
- The impostor phenomenon is a psychological pattern characterized by persistent self-doubt and fear of being exposed as a fraud.
- Previous research suggests links between the impostor phenomenon and various personality traits and psychological distress.
Purpose of the Study:
- To validate the impostor phenomenon as a distinct construct.
- To examine its relationship with personality correlates, gender, working styles, and strain.
- To investigate its validity and potential as a dysfunctional personality style.
Main Methods:
- An online survey was administered to 242 individuals in leadership positions across various sectors.
- Confirmatory factor analyses were employed to assess the construct's discriminant validity.
- Statistical analyses examined associations with personality traits, gender, working styles, and work-related strain.
Main Results:
- Empirical evidence supports the discriminant validity of the impostor phenomenon.
- Significant correlations were found with higher anxiety, dysphoric moods, emotional instability, negative self-evaluation, and perfectionism.
- No significant gender differences were observed.
- Individuals with an impostor self-concept exhibited perfectionist and procrastinating behaviors and reported higher work-related stress.
Conclusions:
- The impostor phenomenon is validated as a distinct construct and constitutes a dysfunctional personality style.
- It is associated with negative psychological outcomes and maladaptive working styles, irrespective of gender.
- Findings have practical implications for understanding and addressing this phenomenon in professional settings.
Related Concept Videos
01:19Managing Impressions
209
Impression management encompasses individuals' deliberate efforts to shape how others perceive them during social interactions. This behavior is often employed to conform to social norms, secure approval, or pursue specific goals. While it involves selective self-presentation, it is not necessarily deceptive; individuals frequently present authentic aspects of themselves that align with situational demands.Common strategies include:Ingratiation: where individuals use flattery or agreeableness...
209
01:12Strategies of Self-Presentation I: Strategic Self-Presentation
289
Strategic self-presentation refers to individuals' intentional efforts to influence how others perceive them. This process is employed in various social and professional settings, such as job interviews, dating, politics, and legal contexts, where individuals seek to shape impressions to gain social or material advantages. While people generally present themselves in ways that align with their authentic characteristics, external factors, such as cognitive load, can hinder their ability to...
289
01:29Impression Management Techniques I: Managing Appearances
277
Appearance is a multidimensional aspect of self-presentation that encompasses observable attributes such as clothing, grooming, speech, and nonverbal behavior. These elements are often strategically managed to align with socially constructed expectations in different settings. For instance, individuals tailor their appearance during job interviews, social gatherings, or athletic events to meet the perceived norms of those environments.Contextual Adaptation and Social SignalsThe research...
277
01:17Strategies of Self-Presentation II: Self-Verification
255
Self-verification is a fundamental psychological drive wherein individuals seek affirmation of their self-concept from others, striving for consistency between their internal self-view and external perceptions. This drive operates even when the self-concept is negative, influencing interpersonal behavior and feedback preferences in complex and often counterintuitive ways. Unlike the self-enhancement motive, which seeks positive evaluations, self-verification prioritizes coherence and...
255
02:45Self-Discrepancy Theory
19.0K
One influential perspective on what motivates people's behavior is detailed in Tory Higgin's self-discrepancy theory (Higgins, 1987). He proposed that people hold disagreeing internal representations of themselves that lead to different emotional states.
19.0K
01:14Fundamental Attribution Error
14.0K
According to some social psychologists, people tend to overemphasize internal factors as explanations—or attributions—for the behavior of other people. They tend to assume that the behavior of another person is a trait of that person, and to underestimate the power of the situation on the behavior of others. They tend to fail to recognize when the behavior of another is due to situational variables, and thus to the person’s state. This erroneous assumption is...
14.0K