Written By: Sarah Ngo

Have you ever experienced a sense of inadequacy, almost as though your abilities have been overestimated? Well, there’s a name for that internal feeling of self-doubt and it’s known as ‘imposter syndrome’. Imposter syndrome is a term coined in 1978 by two American psychologists, Pauline R. Clance and Suzanne A. Imes. The phenomenon refers to, “a creeping sense of professional inadequacy that prompts [a person] to question their place in the field, no matter their area of study or their level of brilliance."

This underlying feeling is not tied to any specific profession, but rather manifests across fields and disciplines. The “imposter frame-of-mind” is especially prevalent in highly competitive spaces, where people are habitually undermining their own abilities and level of intelligence.

Whether it’s the inability to internalize success or the feeling of inadequacy, women often undervalue their ability to perform. Research conducted by Clance and Imes named, The Imposter Phenomenon in High Achieving Women: Dynamics and Therapeutic Intervention, revealed that societal expectations and gender-role stereotyping are at the root of this phenomenon.

Particularly in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields, women are underrepresented and men predominately make up the workforce. This disparity magnifies barriers of entry and creates potential missed opportunities - not only because of the gender gap in these fields, but also due to feelings of intimidation and internalized self-doubt.

Featured in the January 28^th issue of Nature Magazine, Biologist, Victoria Metcalf, discusses her experience with imposter syndrome over the course of her career. At her lowest points, she conjured views of low self worth – from the absence of proper permits, which set back her research during her PhD studies, to quitting a postdoctoral position after 6 months, and the loss of another postdoc after a natural disaster. These challenges undermined Metcalf’s perceptions of her own ability to be successful in her profession within a demanding field of work.

There’s no doubt that those who experience imposter syndrome care about the quality of their work, but it’s a matter of finding that balance and ditching unrealistic expectations. When faced with challenges, the key is to move forward beyond the struggle and not give up. Metcalf speaks out about the challenges that she has faced throughout her career to encourage young people of different backgrounds and career aspirations that, “I’ve had my battles. You just have to keep fighting”.

Read about other phenomena such as stereotype threat and microaggression in WWEST’s Publications.