Unmasking the Impostor Phenomenon

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Unmasking the Impostor Phenomenon

• Diane Zorn
• School of Arts Letters

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Graduate School Culture

• Outwit
• Outlast
• Outplay

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Tales of Neglect and Sadism

• Uncertainty
• Self-doubt
• Insecurity
• Personal embarrassment
• Feelings of isolation and exploitation

• Loss of identity, poor academic self-concept
• Worthlessness, generalized lack of confidence and
  hopelessness
• Loss of hobbies

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Grad School is bad for Your Health!

• Negative physical and mental health outcomes
• Stress
• Diminished or dysfunctional communication
  patterns in relationships both in and out of
  academe

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Definition

• Feeling incompetent
• Believe dont deserve success
• Feel like a fraud
• Fear of being found out
• No attribution of successes to ability

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Characteristics

• The Impostor Cycle
• Dread of Evaluation
• Terror of Failure
• Guilt about Success
• Overestimating Others
• Underestimating Oneself
• Skewed Definition of Intelligence
• Non-affirming Family Messages

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SomeConsiderations

• Gender-bias and sexism in society
• Not a syndrome

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Can be Distinguished From

• Low self-esteem
• Anxiety
• Family background
• Introversion
• Type-A behavior
• Suicidal thoughts

• Lack of confidence
• Depression
• Higher grade point averages
• Taking on new roles
• Age

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Culture Fosters Imposter Feelings

• Scholarly Isolation
• Disciplinary Nationalism
• Aggressive Competitiveness
• Valuing Product Over Process
• Lack of Mentoring

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Research Goals

• Role of the culture and institutional structure
  of higher education in fostering impostor
  feelings
• Suggest a means to a viable understanding of the
  Impostor Phenomenon
• http//msl.stream.yorku.ca/mediasite/viewer/?pei
  da628da4a-2700-4457-bfcd-47753e914d3a

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Impact

• Teaching
• Learning
• Professional Development

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Impact

• Not enjoying success
• Do not have a realistic sense of own competence
• Not fully empowered

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Work Patterns

• Procrastination
• Overpreparation

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TeachingEffectiveness

• Interaction with students
• Availability to students for advising,
  supervision and research activities
• Rating on teaching evaluations

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Teaching

• Overprepare
• Anxiety/panic
• Stage fright
• Lack of confidence
• Unable to answer questions
• Fears students will ask something we dont know
  Supportive of students (empathy)
• Im not really qualified

• I have a fear that students will find out that
  Im only doing the same readings that they are
  doing or that I know less than they doIm afraid
  of letting them down
• Control of discussion tighter boundaries

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Learning

• Buy lots of books
• Dont contribute as much to discussions
• If I get answer wrong, others may think that I
  dont know enough
• Refrain from asking questions

• Falling asleep at important readings (withdrawal
  /defense)
• Zoning out

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Change

• Recognition
• Labeling
• Exploration
• Strategies

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RecognitionExploration

• Group or Individual Therapy
• Informal Support Networking
• Journal Process
• IP Checklist

• Family dynamics and script messages
• Self-talk
• Actions and reactions

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Strategies forChange

• Cognitive restructuring
• Group therapy
• Imagination exercises
• Journal process
• Interpersonal relationships
• Affirmation statements

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DissertationCoach

• http//www.abdsurvivalguide.com/

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Review theIncident

• Awfulizing Exercise
• Review the Incident
• What went wrong?
• What could go better next time?
• When you are afraid
• Talk to someone
• See different options
• Recognize awfulizing process

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Culture Fosters Imposter Feelings

• Scholarly Isolation
• Disciplinary Nationalism
• Aggressive Competitiveness
• Valuing Product Over Process
• Lack of Mentoring

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Phantom Limb

• Sensation that an amputated or missing limb is
  still attached to the body and is moving
  appropriately with other body parts

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Scholarly Isolation

• Mentoring
• Collaboration
• Teach and learn differently

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Disciplinary Nationalism

• Alliances
• Building Bridges
• Flexibility
• Mystery

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Aggressive Competitiveness

• Coaching
• Mentoring
• Sharing Resources

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Valuing Product over Process

• Take the focus off of marks
• Team building
• Collaboration

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Lack of Mentoring

• This is the easiest of all!