Achievement Orientation and the Impostor Phenomenon among College Students

Abstract

The impostor phenomenon is an intense feeling of intellectual inauthenticity experienced by many high-achieving individuals (Clance, 1985). The present study investigated the relationships between the impostor phenomenon and (a) family achievement orientation and (b) achievement-related behaviors. Subjects were 127 undergraduates (75 female, 52 males). Subjects reported high school grade point average (GPA) and number of hours spent on academic endeavors. They then completed the Family Environment Scale (Moos & Moos, 1986) and Clance′s IP Scale (1985). As predicted, greater family achievement orientation was associated with higher levels of the impostor phenomenon. Higher levels of the impostor phenomenon were associated with higher GPA and more time spent on academic endeavors for females, but not for males. Future research on family achievement orientation and possible gender differences associated with this phenomenon is indicated.