Confidence & Imposters

At the end of April 2022, I asked UMBC students for their thoughts and opinions on imposter syndrome, confidence culture, and social well-being concerning women in STEM. 11 voluntary respondents, all women in majors ranging from chemical engineering to computer science, are included in the data below. 

Women in STEM are more likely to experience imposter syndrome as they are often outnumbered in their careers and may experience difficult environments. Imposter syndrome may be described as consistent feelings of self-doubt by an individual even when they have the skills and competency to complete a task or fill a career position. The individual may also begin to lack confidence, lack a sense of belonging, and increase negative thinking. Here's the level of impact it has had on respondents (one is least impact, five is most impact)

The phenomenon is especially common among high-achieving individuals who often find themselves in high academic situations and work settings. Though they lack faith that their skills and experience put them there. The fear that they'll be exposed as a fraud for supposedly not having these skills hangs like a cloud over their head. Furthermore, systemic bias plays a role in the imposter syndrome felt by many women in STEM fields. There are fewer women in higher academic settings, which increases that “imposter” feeling. When you're surrounded by people “like” you or backed by history, you may not question why you're there. When there is a lack of role models or mentors “like” you in the room, you may begin to wonder why you're there. 

These patterns of self-doubt often lead to mental health struggles. One respondent described her struggle with self-criticism and need for perfection. Similarly, other respondents mentioned the need to prove themselves to others which often led to burnout. 

What are the consequences for leaving imposter syndrome unchecked? 

Many respondents described a negative image of their success or potential using the following words or similar concepts.

A common theme among respondents was the fear to go after opportunities due to feeling unqualified or believing others were more deserving of their success. This often led to students misattributing their achievements to a “mistake" or lacking a sense of belonging and confidence. 

Confidence is often seen as the antidote to self-doubt. Alternatively, confidence can be difficult to maintain and is not the only possible solution. 

54.5% of respondents think of confidence as a choice. 

72.7% think confidence is more helpful than self-compassion in pursuing a career. 

63.6% think of confidence as an individualistic matter rather than systematic. 

None of these answers are wrong. Confidence can be a choice, but an environment with systematic bias may make it difficult to build. Confidence may be more helpful, but what about days where you feel you are in a slump? 

It shouldn't be seen as the only remedy to imposter syndrome because there are various outside factors that may make it difficult to maintain. Since changing the environment isn't so simple, another solution to make confidence easier to maintain may be to build your own supportive community. Two respondents provided different approaches to working on self-compassion and confidence:

One respondent emphasized being kind to yourself and forgiving your mistakes as they are bound to happen. 

Another respondent described the benefits of social support throughout her academic career: 

College and careers are difficult; a group of supportive friends and acquaintances can make it easier. If you find it difficult to find a group of supportive friends in college, you are not alone. Some students may find it easier than others or happen to come across the right people while others find that group later in their career. Respondents had mixed feelings on how difficult they felt it was for them to find a group of supportive friends. Most students expressed at least some sort of difficulty. 

If you're struggling to find a supportive social group, here are student organizations that made respondents feel more connected on-campus: 

If these organizations are not for you, here are other organizations you can join to help build community. 

Even with a group of supportive friends, social difficulties may arise within the career field. One student shared their experience:  

These free UMBC resources may help if you're feeling a lack of support:   

If you're hesitant about using these resources, here is one respondent's advice:

Finally, we would appreciate your feedback on this post-survey to improve future programs. Thank you for reading!