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All Impostors Aren’t Alike – Differentiating the Impostor Phenomenon

Following up on earlier investigations, the present paper analyzes construct validity of the impostor phenomenon. It examines the question whether the impostor phenomenon is a homogeneous construct or whether different types of persons with impostor self-concept can be distinguished on the basis of...

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Autores principales: Leonhardt, Mona, Bechtoldt, Myriam N., Rohrmann, Sonja
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Frontiers Media S.A. 2017
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5594221/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28936188
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01505
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author Leonhardt, Mona
Bechtoldt, Myriam N.
Rohrmann, Sonja
author_facet Leonhardt, Mona
Bechtoldt, Myriam N.
Rohrmann, Sonja
author_sort Leonhardt, Mona
collection PubMed
description Following up on earlier investigations, the present paper analyzes construct validity of the impostor phenomenon. It examines the question whether the impostor phenomenon is a homogeneous construct or whether different types of persons with impostor self-concept can be distinguished on the basis of related characteristics. The study was conducted with professionals in leadership positions exhibiting a pronounced impostor self-concept (n = 183). Cluster-analytic procedures indicated the existence of two different types: one group which, in line with the literature (e.g., Clance, 1985), possessed traits classified as fairly unfavorable (“true impostors”) and another group which can be described as largely unencumbered (“strategic impostors”). The present study suggests two types of impostorism: “True” impostors characterized by the negative self-views associated with the construct definition, and more “strategic” impostors who seem to be less encumbered by self-doubt. It is assumed that “strategic impostors” are characterized by a form of deliberate self-presentation. Therefore, the impostor self-concept cannot principally be viewed as a dysfunctional personality style. This distinction should be more carefully considered in further research and in therapeutic interventions.
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spelling pubmed-55942212017-09-21 All Impostors Aren’t Alike – Differentiating the Impostor Phenomenon Leonhardt, Mona Bechtoldt, Myriam N. Rohrmann, Sonja Front Psychol Psychology Following up on earlier investigations, the present paper analyzes construct validity of the impostor phenomenon. It examines the question whether the impostor phenomenon is a homogeneous construct or whether different types of persons with impostor self-concept can be distinguished on the basis of related characteristics. The study was conducted with professionals in leadership positions exhibiting a pronounced impostor self-concept (n = 183). Cluster-analytic procedures indicated the existence of two different types: one group which, in line with the literature (e.g., Clance, 1985), possessed traits classified as fairly unfavorable (“true impostors”) and another group which can be described as largely unencumbered (“strategic impostors”). The present study suggests two types of impostorism: “True” impostors characterized by the negative self-views associated with the construct definition, and more “strategic” impostors who seem to be less encumbered by self-doubt. It is assumed that “strategic impostors” are characterized by a form of deliberate self-presentation. Therefore, the impostor self-concept cannot principally be viewed as a dysfunctional personality style. This distinction should be more carefully considered in further research and in therapeutic interventions. Frontiers Media S.A. 2017-09-07 /pmc/articles/PMC5594221/ /pubmed/28936188 http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01505 Text en Copyright © 2017 Leonhardt, Bechtoldt and Rohrmann. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
spellingShingle Psychology
Leonhardt, Mona
Bechtoldt, Myriam N.
Rohrmann, Sonja
All Impostors Aren’t Alike – Differentiating the Impostor Phenomenon
title All Impostors Aren’t Alike – Differentiating the Impostor Phenomenon
title_full All Impostors Aren’t Alike – Differentiating the Impostor Phenomenon
title_fullStr All Impostors Aren’t Alike – Differentiating the Impostor Phenomenon
title_full_unstemmed All Impostors Aren’t Alike – Differentiating the Impostor Phenomenon
title_short All Impostors Aren’t Alike – Differentiating the Impostor Phenomenon
title_sort all impostors aren’t alike – differentiating the impostor phenomenon
topic Psychology
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5594221/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28936188
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01505
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