The Involuntary Swindler: Readdressing the Impostor Phenomenon
type: CreativeWork
description: In the 1970s, the impostor phenomenon (IP) was coined to describe a self-perpetuating, internal experience of feeling like an intellectual phony, which was reported primarily amongst a select population of white, middle- to upper-class high-achieving women (Clance & Imes, 1978). Since its introduction, the IP has gained significant traction in academic and lay communities, leading to various interpretations of what it actually is within the literature. Recently, concerns have been raised by scholars and laypersons alike regarding the conceptualisation and utility of the IP, alongside a noticeable gap in research addressing these concerns. Accordingly, this thesis aims to contribute to the advancement of IP theory by exploring the conceptualisation of the IP within and across academic and lay domains. To accomplish this, I conducted two primary studies as part of an exploratory mixed-methods research design. The first explores the understanding of the IP within the academic domain, and the second in the lay domain. This thesis then compares and integrates the findings from both studies and, in valuing both domains, considers what may be needed to move the research field forward. The research shows that academic and lay circles discuss conceptual factors and framing variables related to the IP in different ways. This variation likely contributes to the increasing ambiguity of the IP concept and the expansion of its conceptual boundaries. In addressing this issue, this thesis offers a contemporary conceptual framework that clearly distinguishes the core concepts of the IP from framing variables. This effort aims to refine the concept and help future researchers develop a comprehensive understanding of the topic that resonates with both scholarly and general audiences. It is hoped that this shift could aid in identifying individuals most affected by the IP and inform interventions through more targeted approaches.
abstract: In the 1970s, the impostor phenomenon (IP) was coined to describe a self-perpetuating, internal experience of feeling like an intellectual phony, which was reported primarily amongst a select population of white, middle- to upper-class high-achieving women (Clance & Imes, 1978). Since its introduction, the IP has gained significant traction in academic and lay communities, leading to various interpretations of what it actually is within the literature. Recently, concerns have been raised by scholars and laypersons alike regarding the conceptualisation and utility of the IP, alongside a noticeable gap in research addressing these concerns. Accordingly, this thesis aims to contribute to the advancement of IP theory by exploring the conceptualisation of the IP within and across academic and lay domains. To accomplish this, I conducted two primary studies as part of an exploratory mixed-methods research design. The first explores the understanding of the IP within the academic domain, and the second in the lay domain. This thesis then compares and integrates the findings from both studies and, in valuing both domains, considers what may be needed to move the research field forward. The research shows that academic and lay circles discuss conceptual factors and framing variables related to the IP in different ways. This variation likely contributes to the increasing ambiguity of the IP concept and the expansion of its conceptual boundaries. In addressing this issue, this thesis offers a contemporary conceptual framework that clearly distinguishes the core concepts of the IP from framing variables. This effort aims to refine the concept and help future researchers develop a comprehensive understanding of the topic that resonates with both scholarly and general audiences. It is hoped that this shift could aid in identifying individuals most affected by the IP and inform interventions through more targeted approaches.
author: Barker, Tessa
keywords: Impostor Phenomenon, Impostor Syndrome, Success, Fear, Conceptualisation, Scoping Review, Rapid Review
license: https://researchspace.auckland.ac.nz/docs/uoa-docs/rights.htm
date published: 2025-03-29
date modified: 2026-07-24T01:04:52Z
provider: University of Auckland
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: ResearchSpace@Auckland

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: https://hdl.handle.net/2292/71722