The Role of Personality Traits on Imposter Syndrome and Self-Silencing among College students.

Abstract

Ever wondered what compels a student to feel like an imposter and why they remain silent in the face of success. Imposter syndrome and Self-silencing are two prevalent constructs in psychology which can impede the growth in professional and personal settings of a student’s life. Imposter syndrome encompasses feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt in one’s capabilities, despite the evidence of previous achievements. Self-silencing conversely refers to the propensity to stifle one’s own thought and feelings so as to avoid conflicts. Comprehending the influence of personality can help gauge the linkage with the two variables. A sample of 31 young adults was collected and standardized scales were used for the stated variables. Data from the study revealed that personality traits such as neuroticism and openness are significantly positively correlated with imposter syndrome and there exists a significant negative correlation between extraversion and conscientiousness with self-silencing. The findings provide insight to view imposter syndrome and self-silencing from the lens of personality traits. The interventions could include focusing on promoting a growth mindset in college settings instead of setting perfectionist standards. Psycho-educating the students to help them recognize these patterns. Future studies could focus on collecting a larger sample to consolidate the generalizability. Furthermore, an intervention study could be conducted to aid in mitigating imposter syndrome and silencing the self.