New research from Colorado State University shows that professors who admit to feelings of impostor syndrome may be perceived as less competent by students, affecting their hiring potential and professional advancement. These findings underscore the delicate balance instructors must navigate when sharing vulnerabilities.
Professors in academia are often expected to exude confidence, but the reality of impostor syndrome — a pervasive feeling of self-doubt despite objective success — can influence how they are perceived by their students. New research from Colorado State University (CSU) reveals the significant impact this phenomenon can have on professors’ perceived competence, likability and effectiveness.
According to a study published in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology, students viewed a hypothetical professor who admitted to feelings of being an impostor as less hirable compared to an equally accomplished faculty member who did not share such disclosures.
The implications of these findings extend beyond academia, touching on broader discussions about vulnerability and leadership in various professional settings.
The study, led by doctoral candidate Alexa Jayne at CSU, was motivated by Jayne’s personal experiences as a teaching assistant.
“Teaching was a beautiful experience that I loved, but I also noticed that I was not feeling capable or good enough in spite of the objective success I was having,” Jayne said in a news release.
This experience spurred her interest in exploring how these internal struggles affect external perceptions, a topic previously underexplored in scientific literature.
Impostor syndrome is defined as a psychological pattern where individuals fear being exposed as frauds despite their proven successes. This phenomenon is particularly common in higher education, where many high-performing individuals face constant scrutiny through paper reviews, tenure processes and student evaluations.
Jayne’s research involved presenting students with two nearly identical vignettes about a hypothetical tenured professor. Both professors were described as accomplished, but only one mentioned attributing success to external factors and having a fear of being recognized as a fraud. Students were then asked to evaluate the professors on various aspects, including likability, perceived experience, anticipated class grades, salary and class enrollment likelihood.
The findings were striking. Students perceived the professor who disclosed self-doubt as having significantly less experience and earning a lower salary — by about $10,000 — compared to the control group professor. Despite this, both professors were equally likable, suggesting that minor admissions of self-doubt can humanize instructors without fully undermining their approachability. Importantly, students were just as likely to enroll in classes taught by either professor.
Jayne emphasized the nuanced balance that instructors must strike.
“At least in this study, it seems students do still perceive or equate confidence with competence. That doesn’t mean that is the right way to navigate these spaces though,” she added. “Instead, it means these disclosures need to be thoughtfully done so that instructors can find ways to connect with students without unintentionally undermining their own standing.”
The study’s implications are particularly relevant for women in STEM — a group predisposed to impostor syndrome — whose experiences shape their mentorship roles throughout their careers.
“I don’t want this research to be taken as, ‘You should never be vulnerable in a classroom,’” Jayne added. “Rather, I hope this is a step towards normalizing these feelings and supporting the retention and advancement of faculty – especially in those marginalized groups we know can suffer from these feelings – by addressing them in a structured way.”
Jayne’s advisor Bryan Dik, a professor of psychology, whose research delves into meaning and purpose in the workplace, pointed out the broader relevance of the findings.
“This work relates to what our team describes as the ‘dark side’ of calling – negative outcomes that sometimes result from pursuing meaningful work,” he said in the news release. “In the future, we hope to examine the role of different demographic variables and their tangible impacts on hiring, promotions and student engagement – especially for early career faculty or those from marginalized groups that are already vulnerable to bias.”
Source: Colorado State University