Imposter Syndrome and Stereotype Threat

Both imposter syndrome and stereotype threat are common barriers to fulfilling our full potential. They are related but not quite the same. Imposter syndrome involves feeling like you aren’t as capable or qualified as the people around you. This might play out in the classroom as thinking that the rest of the students are better prepared or smarter than you. People suffering from imposter syndrome often think that a high grade on an assignment is either a mistake or a fluke. Stereotype threat involves feeling that you represent an entire group, and further, that if you perform poorly on a task or assignment this will reflect poorly on the entire group. Anxiety about performance then negatively influences your ability to actually perform your best on the task.

See the two videos below to learn more about imposter syndrome and stereotype threat and how to combat these feelings. The good news is that cultivating a growth mindset is an awesome way to work towards overcoming feelings of imposter syndrome and stereotype threat. Check out some information about growth mindset here.

Video about overcoming imposter syndrome (~5 minutes):

Reshma Saujani (CEO of Girls Who Code) Talking About Imposter Syndrome at the 2023 Smith College Commencement (~15 minutes)

A slightly longer (but great) video on stereotype threat: