Some people who perform at the highest levels carry a private fear that clashes with their outward success. Despite strong résumés and long lists of achievements, they worry that others will eventually realize they do not truly belong.
In their own minds, top grades, prestigious awards, and competitive research funding are not proof of ability. Instead, these accomplishments are dismissed as coincidence or good timing. The inner voice insists that success came from being in the right place at the right moment, not from talent or hard work.
What Impostorism Really Means
This experience is known as impostorism, a psychological pattern that is separate from low self esteem or depression. According to Binghamton University, State University of New York psychology researcher Jiyun Elizabeth Shin, impostorism involves persistent self doubt even when objective evidence shows success. Shin, a lecturer who leads the Social Identity & Academic Engagement Laboratory, recently published research on the topic in the journal Social Psychology of Education titled "Impostorism: Prevalence and its relationships with mental health, burnout, dropout consideration, and achievement among graduate women in STEM."
