Imposter Syndrome, Naomi Catanus

Imposter Syndrome

Naomi Catanus

‘Impostor syndrome’, less commonly referred to as ‘impostor phenomenon’, is a term dating back to the late 1970s that refers to the feelings of self-doubt and incompetence that an individual has in a certain role or position. Despite their success, individuals with impostor syndrome “often attribute their accomplishments to luck rather than to ability, and fear that others will eventually unmask them as a fraud” (Weir, 2013, as cited in Ralston, 2019, p. 191). While not included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (the main resource used to diagnose and treat mental disorders in America), impostor syndrome is also heavily linked to perfectionism and is acknowledged by psychologists to be a real condition often accompanied by anxiety and depression (Ralston, 191-192). Studies on impostor syndrome have historically been examined only at the individual level of analysis by scholars, even though the phenomenon is “often linked to women and members of ethnic minority groups” (Feenstra et al., 2020). Unfortunately, this means that individuals with impostor syndrome are usually blamed for having a problem and are made solely responsible for fixing it. However, impostor syndrome instead often results from the uncertainty that accompanies negative stereotypes, gendered roles, and underrepresentation within certain institutions.

The use of the term ‘impostor syndrome’ has increased dramatically over the last decade. It has become the subject of more academic research and a topic discussed more by influencers and celebrities on social media. As a result, the term is commonly abused as a blanket term for general self-doubt or stress. However, attributing all feelings of stress and unbelonging to impostor syndrome can be dangerous to individuals that are, in reality, overworked or unsatisfied with the role they are in. Doing so pushes them to believe that they are simply not good enough

rather than realize that they are not well-suited to their role or are being abused in their current position (Goulding, n.d.). Nevertheless, this does not at all mean impostor syndrome does not exist – it affects not only working adults, but adolescents as well. While there is limited information regarding impostor syndrome in adolescents, impostorism in high schoolers is significantly linked to support from friends and classmates, parentification in childhood, perfectionism and irrational beliefs, depression, and suicidal thoughts or attempts (Bravata et al.). Feelings of fraudulency are also hypothesized to begin in early childhood and to be linked with family dynamics (Caselman et al., 2006). Furthermore, students who suffer from impostor syndrome experience a vicious cycle when faced with an achievement-related task such as an exam or project: they initially experience self-doubt and anxiety, which leads to procrastination or over-preparation, then ultimately to success with the accompanying “praise from authority, temporary elation, and relief” (Cromwell et al.). Unfortunately, students with impostor syndrome will continuously undergo this cycle when given other tasks that put them under an extreme pressure to achieve. This often causes them to develop a guilt and fear of success. Understanding impostor syndrome helps us to understand the experiences of young people since it not only affects them, but it is a term being increasingly used and spread by them, even just to express general feelings of unbelonging and self-doubt. These feelings must be considered and addressed by teachers, parents, and guardians in order to support the psychological well-being of youth and students.

References:

Bravata, D. M., Watts, S. A., Keefer, A. L., Madhusudhan, D. K., Taylor, K. T., Clark, D. M., Nelson, R. S., Cokley, K. O., & Hagg, H. K. (2020). Prevalence, Predictors, and Treatment of Impostor Syndrome: a Systematic Review. Journal of general internal medicine, 35(4), 1252–1275. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-019-05364-1

Caselman, T. D., Self, P. A., & Self, A. L. (2006). Adolescent Attributes Contributing to the Imposter Phenomenon. Journal of Adolescence, 29(3), 395-405, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2005.07.003 Cromwell, B., Brown, N., Sanchez-Huceles, & Adair, F. L. (1990). The Impostor Phenomenon and Personality Characteristics of High School Honor Students. Journal of Social Behavior and Personality, 5(6), 563. https://ezproxy.library.yorku.ca/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarlyjournals/impostor-phenomenon-personality-characteristics/docview/1292241011/se-2 Feenstra, S., Begeny, C. T., Ryan, M. K., Rink, F. A., Stoker, J. I., & Jordan, J. (2020). Contextualizing the Impostor “Syndrome.” Frontiers in Psychology, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.575024 Goulding, S. (Host). (n.d.). Why We’re Ditching the Term ‘Imposter Syndrome’ with Dr Sarah Goulding (No. 112) [Audio podcast episode]. In You Are Not a Frog. https://youarenotafrog.com/episode-112-why-were-ditching-the-term-impostersyndrome/

Note: non-academic resource

Ralston, Romarilyn. (2019). Schools, Prisons, and Higher Education. Critical Perspectives on Teaching in Prison, 188-194. https://www-taylorfranciscom.ezproxy.library.yorku.ca/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781351215862-20/schools-prisonshigher-education-romarilyn-ralston

Inclusivity

Victoria Villani

GenZ is the new generation of adolescents. They are being described as a force to be reckoned with, being admired or sometimes hated for their political activism and focus on inclusivity. Inclusivity is defined as, “the practice or policy of providing equal access to opportunities and resources for people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalized, such as those having physical or mental disabilities or belonging to other minority groups” (Oxford Dictionary). The word inclusivity is often thrown around a lot when people or organizations try to sound appealing to the wider community, but it takes on a whole different meaning when it is put into practice. In recent years GenZ has been seen at the forefront of public protest/movements like #BLM, March For Our Lives, 2SLGBTQIA+ rights and abortion rights. There is a sense of activism igniting in adolescents that are not unusuals for this age group but they definitely been the most vocal. Adolescents feel a sense of urgency to help their futures and feel they have the power in numbers. The biggest argument especially talked about on social media platforms is the idea that ‘old white men’ are the majority making life-changing decisions for the wider population. Inclusivity helps us understand the social justice focus adolescents tend to have which often disappears or diminishes as generations grow older. GenZ seems to have different plans by being much more active in the public eye about its push for inclusivity and its hope for change. Through social media activism, there has been more room to spread messages to wider audiences and reach people in high power. This word has a positive connotation but also leaves room for the negative, which would include part of this generation who subscribe to more conservative values or older generations who claim to not ‘understand’. Inclusivity also breeds exclusivity for people who try to argue that the push for inclusivity ‘discriminates’ or complicates their beliefs. Adolescents have allowed gender identities and preferences that were hidden from the public domain to thrive. When these ideas spread more widely, they connect with more people, thus including more people in various communities. Often people who oppose the notion of inclusivity see this boom of celebration of identity and expression as an infringement of their societal norms. They often associate movements or the fight for rights from groups mentioned above as a thing to be fearful of. These ideas opposing inclusivity are most widely seen on platforms like Twitter from close-minded individuals, Fox news etc. GenZ's focus on inclusivity is much more needed now than ever knowing how many opposing sides to gender, identity and race there are sharing their ideas for the purpose of harm and exclusivity. Inclusivity not only is important to activism movements but for a sense of belonging. That describes adolescents, and their urge to create a community and a world where they can all fit in.

Reference List:

Luttrell , R., & McGrath, K. (2021). Gen Z : the superhero generation. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield.

Ricee, S. (2017, February 28). What is Inclusivity? Diversity for Social Impact. Retrieved from https://diversity.social/inclusivity/