Do you feel like you don’t deserve your success? Do you feel compelled to accumulate degrees and certifications to feel legitimate in your career? You may be suffering from imposter syndrome, especially if you are a woman.
The concept of imposter syndrome was first theorized in the late 1970s by American psychologists Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes. It is a self-sustained feeling of doubt and questioning. People who suffer from it feel that they are not qualified enough to deserve their academic or professional successes. They attribute their success more to external factors, such as luck, rather than their own talent.
Nurtured by Gender Stereotypes
This feeling of fraudulence is likely to affect 70% of the world’s population at some point in their lives, according to a 2011 study published in the Journal of Behavioral Science. However, a meta-analysis published in Current Research in Behavioral Sciences, claims that women are more likely to experience imposter syndrome than men.
The authors of this research came to this conclusion after reviewing the findings of over 100 studies on the subject, involving a total of no less than 40,000 participants. They found that women, who make up 58% of the study group, score higher than men on the various scales measuring imposter syndrome.
Women’s lack of confidence is said to be created by the belief that cognitive and intellectual performance are naturally different between the sexes.
Internalized from a Young Age
This misconception, which has no scientific basis, is so widespread that even young children unconsciously adhere to it. Indeed, American researchers have found that gender stereotypes are internalized as early as age 6.
Girls of this age are less likely than boys of the same age to consider women to be “very, very smart,” according to their study published in 2017 in the journal Science. By adulthood, these stereotypes can discourage women from pursuing careers in traditionally male fields, including science.
Contrary to what its name suggests, imposter syndrome is not a disease. It is a feeling of psychological discomfort that can lead to a state of chronic dissatisfaction, procrastination and self-sabotage strategies, anxiety and sometimes even depression. Fortunately, it is entirely possible to learn to reclaim one’s successes and stop doubting oneself, without falling into overconfidence.
