A recent study published in Personality and Individual Differences offers a more granular understanding of the psychological mechanisms underpinning imposter syndrome, revealing that feelings of inadequacy and fraudulence are specifically tethered to certain dimensions of perfectionism, while remaining distinct from others.
Imposter phenomenon, a persistent internalized fear among high achievers of being exposed as incompetent despite evidence of success, has long been associated generally with perfectionism. However, researchers sought to decouple the effects of perfectionism's various manifestations.
The investigation focused on three distinct subtypes: rigid perfectionism (an inflexible demand for flawlessness), self-critical perfectionism (harsh self-judgment following errors), and narcissistic perfectionism (a grandiose sense of superiority and entitlement).
“Imposterism has previously been linked to neuroticism, depression, and anxiety. Imposterism has also been positively correlated with trait perfectionism. However, there remains an open question about the relationship between which dimensions of perfectionism are specifically related to imposterism,” noted study author Colin Xu of the University of Idaho.
The research team analyzed data from 278 undergraduate students, utilizing the Clance Imposter Phenomenon Scale and the Big Three Perfectionism Scale. The findings established a clear bifurcation in the relationship.
Analysts found a significant positive correlation between overall imposterism scores and both rigid perfectionism and self-critical perfectionism. Specifically, the feeling of being a 'fake' was strongly linked to self-criticism, and the tendency to attribute success to luck mirrored this self-deprecating pattern.
Crucially, the analysis revealed no significant relationship between imposter syndrome and narcissistic perfectionism. This suggests a fundamental divergence: individuals exhibiting grandiose self-views are buffered against the self-doubt characteristic of imposterism, often instead engaging in self-promotion.
This distinction carries significant implications for understanding organizational dynamics and individual career trajectories. While self-critical and rigid perfectionists may enter cycles of anxiety and procrastination due to fear of exposure, those leaning toward narcissistic perfectionism maintain an externalized, often inflated, self-assessment.
The study, while constrained by its cross-sectional design and reliance on a student sample, underscores the necessity of nuanced psychological frameworks when addressing performance anxiety in high-stakes professional environments. Understanding which specific perfectionist traits fuel imposter syndrome can inform targeted interventions aimed at mitigating the productivity drains associated with chronic self-doubt.
The research, titled “Imposterism and perfectionism: Imposterism predicts rigid and self-critical perfectionism, but not narcissistic perfectionism,” was authored by Colin Xu and colleagues.