USFSM Researcher’s ‘Imposter Syndrome’ Study Gains National Media Attention

USF Sarasota-Manatee researcher Lisa Penney, PhD, is attracting attention thanks to Forbes and other publications reporting on her recent study of imposter syndrome, a workplace issue that triggers fatigue, anxiety and the inability to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Penney, a professor of management in the College of Business, has delved into the topic for years alongside co-researchers Lisa Sublett, assistant professor of industrial-organizational psychology at the University of Houston-Clear Lake, and Holly Hutchins, a professor at the University of Houston.
The three last spring presented a paper at the annual conference of the Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, examining how imposter syndrome, which starts in the workplace, can relate to family and home satisfaction.
Then two weeks ago, the society released an article about the study, touching off a flurry of media reporting in Forbes, the Daily Arizona Independent, Men’s Variety, U.K.-based Stylist and other publications.
Imposter syndrome occurs when employees, usually high performers, start to doubt their abilities, which for some can result in not believing in their own success and tending to overcompensate. The resulting anxiety exacts an emotional toll on employees that can spill over into an unhappy home life.
Penney and her colleagues surveyed 463 workers across the Southern U.S. to produce the study.
Although not a new phenomenon, the issue seems to be resonating in today’s high-stress work environment, where rising expectations and increased competition can cause many employees to doubt their success and feel like they aren’t enough, Penney said.
“I think a lot of people can relate to that feeling of not measuring up to whatever external standards people are holding them up to,” she said.
Penney said she hopes that by recognizing and talking about imposter syndrome, employers and workers will work toward helping employees learn how to disrupt the imposter thoughts that can interfere with their work and home lives.
“It’s exciting to know that this is bringing some attention to an important issue and that, hopefully, this will get people talking about it to bring awareness to it,” she said, referring to the recent media attention.