impostor syndrome en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
- /ɪmˈpɒstə ˈsɪndɹəʊm/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ɪmˈpɑstɚ ˈsɪndɹoʊm/ (General-American)
- /-dɹəm/ (General-American)
Etymology
First observed as impostor phenomenon by Pauline R. Clance and Suzanne A. Imes in 1978.
Meanings
-
(uncountable, usually) A psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize their accomplishments, remaining convinced that they do not deserve any accompanying success.
The office family is not the only phenomenon to watch out for at work. Another common psychological pitfall is something called the "impostor syndrome."
1984, Gay Bryant, The Working Woman Report: Succeeding in Business in the 80s, New York, N.Y.: Simon & Schuster, →ISBN, page 177:We believe that this study suggests an important refinement in the study of women's career aspirations, one that moves us away from stereotypes about the women or the field, and certainly from any categorical ideas about women's fear of success, impostor syndromes, or self-sabotaging behavior.
1987, Cheryl R. Bailey, Martha T. Mednick, “Career Aspiration in Black College Women: An Examination of Performance and Social Self-esteem”, in Esther D. Rosenbaum, Ellen Cole, editors, Treating Women’s Fear of Failure, New York, N.Y.: Harrington Park Press, →ISBN; republished as Treating Women’s Fear of Failure: From Worry to Enlightenment, New York, N.Y.; Abingdon, Oxon.: Routledge, 2013, →ISBN, page 74:My client, Sylvia, not her real name of course, combined fear of failure with the impostor syndrome.
1987, Julia A. Sherman, “Achievement Related Fears: Gender Roles and Individual Dynamics”, in Women & Therapy, volume 6, number 3, Taylor & Francis, →DOI, →ISSN, page 97:The Myth of Growth and the surfacing of the Authentic Voice, with a dash of the Impostor Syndrome thrown in for good measure, combine to deprive women from deriving satisfaction out of the boring details of technical mastery.
1987, Sarah Hardesty, Nehama Jacobs, “Seeds of Disenchantment”, in Success and Betrayal: The Crisis of Women in Corporate America, 1st Touchstone edition, New York, N.Y.: Simon & Schuster, →ISBN, page 185:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| impostor syndromes | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Relateds
Translations (38)
uk синдро́м самозва́нця (psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments) · fr syndrome de l'autodidacte (psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments) · pl syndrom oszusta (psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments) · fr syndrome de l’impostrice (psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments) · nl bedriegersfenomeen (psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments) · de Hochstapler-Syndrom (psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments) · nl oplichterssyndroom (psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments) · hy ինքնակոչի համախտանիշ (psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments) · de Mogelpackungs-Syndrom (psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments) · ckb کۆنیشانی فریودەر (psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments) · cmn 冒名頂替綜合症 /冒名顶替综合症 (psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments) · de Betrüger-Phänomen (psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments) · sv bluffsyndromet (psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments) · es fenómeno del impostor (psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments) · bn ইমপোস্টার সিনড্রোম (psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments) · he תסמונת המתחזה (psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments) · ar متلازمة المحتال (psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments) · de Impostor-Syndrom (psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments) · ja インポスター症候群 (psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments) · es síndrome de fraude (psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments) · ko 가면증후군 (psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments) · ko 가면현상 (psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments) · la syndroma impostoris (psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments) · el σύνδρομο του απατεώνα (psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments) · nb bedragersyndromet (psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments) · it sindrome dell'impostore (psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments) · fr syndrome de l'imposteur (psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments) · id sindrom penyemu (psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments) · fi huijarisyndrooma (psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments) · es síndrome del impostor (psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments) · pt síndrome da fraude (psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments) · ru синдром самозванца (psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments) · fa سندرم ایمپاستر (psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments) · pt fenómeno do impostor (psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments) · nl bedriegerssyndroom (psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments) · de Impostor-Phänomen (psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments) · pt síndrome do impostor (psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments) · tr sahtekâr sendromu (psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments)