Addressing Impostor Syndrome In Learning And Skill Development
How many times have you heard one of your peers talk about impostor syndrome? This topic, describing the persistent belief that one's achievements are undeserved, is frequently heard in films, TV, and even among your friends. But while it's natural to second-guess yourself sometimes, experiencing impostor thoughts can have disruptive effects on your long-term goals. Science says it can erode your engagement, learning outcomes, and professional growth efforts—not to mention your well-being. So, whether you're a learner prone to impostor thoughts or an L&D professional creating learning experiences for others, understanding how impostor syndrome affects learning and skill development is vital. Let's take a look.
An Overview Of Impostor Syndrome
Although it was first described in 1978 in relation to high-achieving women, [1] impostor syndrome now appears across demographics, contexts, and industries. Marked by chronic self-doubt and an inability to internalize success, those experiencing it attribute achievements to luck, timing, or other external factors. Simultaneously, they view failures as evidence of their own inherent inadequacy, further intensifying anxiety, perfectionism, and behaviors aimed at masking insecurity.
In a learning environment, impostor syndrome may manifest as over-preparing for minor assessments, avoiding collaboration out of fear of exposure as fraudulent, or giving up more specialized modules despite having previously demonstrated competence. Generally, impostor feelings fluctuate with context, and their activation is shaped by the learning environment. For example, a professional may feel confident and capable in their work environment, but fraudulent in an online course surrounded by peers with credentials due to social evaluation and comparison anxiety.
It's basically a loop of self-sabotage where impostor thoughts lead to procrastination or over-preparation, which in turn leads to bouts of anxiety due to perceived inadequacy. Rinse and repeat.
How Does Impostor Syndrome Disrupt Learning And Skill Acquisition?
Cognitive Interference
From a cognitive standpoint, impostor thoughts have weight. Cognitive load theory suggests that working memory has limited capacity; when it is consumed by intrusive self-doubt, fewer resources remain for processing new information, learning, or practicing new skills. Learners worrying over their perceived inadequacy experience this sort of cognitive interference, meaning that their brain's resources are diverted from paying attention to the task at hand in order to self-monitor.
Demotivation
When it comes to motivation, impostor syndrome also distorts goal orientation. Typically, individuals prone to impostor syndrome focus on proving their ability rather than developing it. But this could also lead to avoidance of challenging tasks where failure might confirm self-doubt. In learning environments, this may take the form of sticking to familiar modules, steering clear of advanced topics, or disengaging entirely when confronted with difficulty.
Perfectionism Or Overworking
It's not unheard of for learners to overcompensate when they feel inadequate by investing excessive time and effort in routine tasks. However, this doesn't stop impostor thoughts from taking hold. While perfectionism and overworking may seem like the remedy to impostor syndrome, they can also lead to burnout, subpar learning outcomes, and even more acute impostor thoughts.
Disengagement, Avoidance, And Withdrawal
Impostor syndrome can limit learners' engagement by making them hesitant to ask questions, participate in discussions, or seek support, even when it would clearly benefit them. It can also make them avoid certain tasks, especially if they consider them more challenging or complex, or if they involve unfamiliar topics, approaches, or technologies. Ultimately, this blend of disengagement, avoidance, and self-doubt can diminish learners' drive and their sense of belonging, and lead to complete withdrawal from the learning process.
Self-Efficacy And The Confidence-Competence Loop
It may sound basic, but cultivating self-efficacy could hold the key to overcoming impostor syndrome and understanding how confidence and competence are interconnected.
Self-efficacy refers to one's belief in their ability to succeed in specific tasks. It influences the goals we set, the effort we make, and our resilience when encountering setbacks. Obviously, impostor syndrome undermines self-efficacy. Even when learners perform well, they undervalue their success, which not only holds them back in their learning progress but also prevents them from building confidence. Over time, this creates discrepancies in their actual and perceived competence, reducing their self-efficacy and trampling genuine confidence building.
For example, in professional development, if a learner doubts their competence, they may resist seeking mentorship, avoid leadership training, or ignore skill growth opportunities that would advance their careers. This avoidance/resistance would also reinforce their low confidence, perpetuating the cycle of self-doubt. And because adult professionals' identities are closely tied to competence, the emotional impact can be dire for their confidence as well as their development efforts.
Thankfully, there's a way to build self-efficacy, using the confidence-competence loop. Choose to start with either. By taking small actions that build up your expertise to create tangible evidence of your competence, you can eventually build genuine confidence. Or, fake it till you make it, as they say. Act confidently despite your perceived level of competence, and at some point, you will surpass your own standards in both.
Tips For L&D Pros To Help Learners Combat Impostor Thoughts
While some aspects in eLearning spaces are designed to motivate learners (leaderboards, progress dashboards, etc.), they can also encourage unhealthy comparisons. Sometimes, learners may even assume that others are progressing effortlessly because online spaces conceal the shared struggle that's visible in traditional in-person environments. So, what can L&D professionals do to help their learners?
- Reinforce self-efficacy through strength-based feedback. Behavior-focused feedback that highlights what learners did well counters the idea that success was brought on by luck and reinforces a realistic sense of competence.
- Emphasize the importance of the process, not the goal. Shift attention from the end result and add more weight to the value of the learning journey because addressing and overcoming challenges is what builds competence and confidence.
- Use collaborative learning tools. Foster realistic social proof by creating learning spaces fit for communication and collaboration. Seeing others frustrated by similar challenges makes the struggle seem normal. It also counters the illusion of others' instant mastery.
- Normalize the experience through a support system and mentorship. Impostor thoughts aren't unique. Create spaces for your learners to talk about common challenges and receive guidance from their mentors and peers. It will help them feel a sense of belonging and break the cycle of doubt.
Conclusion
We hope this article provided some information on the signs of impostor syndrome. Remember to reach out to your support system if needed. Ultimately, it's a very common human experience, and knowing how it affects learning and skill development is equally important for learners and L&D professionals alike. The goal, after all, is to cultivate healthy learning spaces where everyone feels competent, confident, and capable.
Reference:
[1] The Imposter Phenomenon in High Achieving Women: Dynamics and Therapeutic Intervention
