Class Discussion: Imposter Syndrome
Class Discussion: Imposter Syndrome
Do you ever feel like a phony? Like you’re not really qualified for the job you’re doing, despite your achievements? Those are signs of the impostor phenomenon, also called impostor syndrome. Dr. Lisa Orbé-Austin, a counseling psychologist and career coach in New York City, and Dr. Kevin Cokley, a University of Texas at Austin psychology professor who studies the impostor phenomenon among ethnic minority students, discuss where impostor feelings come from, the repercussions they can have in people’s lives, and what you can do to address imposter feelings (Orbe-Austin & Cokley, 2022).
According to Chakraverty (2020), often, academically strong students lose confidence in their abilities and past achievements because of the pressure associated with doctoral education and expectations, which has led to the impostor phenomenon. Learners often make the mistake of comparing themselves and their writing to other classmates during the early stages of a doctoral program. This can lead to a unwanted stress and anxiety. However, it is important to note that at this stage doctoral learners are all developing their academic voices and grappling with how to successfully author research papers that balance original work with recognizing and crediting the works used as research foundations.
Chakraverty, D. (2020). Ph.D. student experiences with the impostor phenomenon in STEM. International Journal of Doctoral Studies, 15, 159-179. https://doi.org/10.28945/4513
Orbe-Austin, L, & Cokley, K. (Hosts). (2022, August 10). How to overcome feeling like an imposter [Audio Podcast]. In Speaking of psychology [Audio podcast]. APA. https://sopapa.libsyn.com/encore-how-to-overcome-feeling-like-an-imposter-with-lisa-orb-austin-phd-and-kevin-cokley-phd
Requirements: 150 words
Answer preview to Class Discussion: Imposter Syndrome
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