According to Valerie Young, an expert of
impostor syndrome, women are more likely to
explain setbacks and failures as resulting from
their lack of ability, while men are more
prone to blame outside factors. However, it
seems that many people are at risk in today’s
hyper-competitive and economically
uncertain world.
Despite consistent and impressive evidence to
the contrary, why do those who experience
imposter syndrome persist in believing that
they are not bright and that they have fooled
anyone who thinks otherwise? One important
root of the problem that contributes to the
maintenance of impostor-like feelings over
time probably lies in social expectations. As
children, we might not have been praised
enough because our school or sporting
successes were always “half of our duty.”
Those who are more inclined to introspection
and critical (and self-critical) thinking are
more likely not to live up to expectations or
the perception of others. Also, some, for
education-based reasons or simply due to
personal style, find embarrassing to strut.
Some have the awareness—founded, healthy,
and realistic—of being able to make mistakes,
and others compare themselves to people
who, at least in appearance, are completely
certain of being right. These people have a
strong sense of duty and feel that they must
always meet expectations and even overcome
them. However, they can have other reasons.
For example, they may belong to an ethnic or
religious minority, come from a poor
economic or cultural family, or perhaps they
are one of the few women who do a
traditionally male job.
In a twist of fate, there are truly incompetent
people who do not realize their own
limitations and errors or the actual abilities of
others and who constantly overestimate their
performance. This phenomenon is in many
ways the mirror of impostor syndrome. It is
known as the Dunning-Kruger effect and
causes a cognitive bias that leads these people
to overestimate their abilities, misjudging
themselves as experts in their fields. In
correlation with this theory, incompetent
people often prove to be extremely
supposing!
After all, “A fool thinks himself to be wise,
but a wise man knows himself to be a fool.”
(William Shakespeare).
Steel Notes Magazine
www.steelnotesmagazine.com
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