does this sound like you: http://www.impostorsyndrome.com/
I am so glad it has a name!!!

http://www.postgraduateforum.com/showmessage.asp?thread=5297

ooooops sorry - guess i should have done a literature search before posting!! Good to know that its normal though!

Yes, unfortunately, far too common amongst us over-anxious academic types!

Wow - that makes sense

Thanks for this info driven2insanity. It made me understand why I've been feeling like this for years .
I found a list of further reading on this link, if you're interested: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impostor_Syndrome

that sums up me.

im not crazy after all.... think everyone i know feels like that!

Hi All,

Thought you might be interested in this journalistic (i.e., no research!!) piece on Imposter Syndrome from this weeks Nature.

http://www.nature.com/naturejobs/2009/090521/full/nj7245-468a.html

Take care

A

It has a name?!?

I just thought it was called 'being HazyJane'.

*looks both ways to see if anyone is about to find her out*

My research kind of relates to this - that depending on your own self confidence etc you will explain events in certain ways, so one person may say their success is down to luck, and in an identical situation, another person may say its down to their ability. I am looking at it and how it affects your job decisions.

Hi all, I have to say that I experience this all the time.

Although this PhD is my fourth degree, Throughout my PhD, I've been plagued with thinking that they've made a mistake in giving me this well funded studentship. Everytime when my supervisors say something negative etc, I tend to think that their thinking that they should not have given me the studentship and should have given it to someone else who has a 1st class degree for example, or who is far more brighter than me.

Although I'm happy to say, these kind of thoughts have diminshed significantly now I'm approaching the last 4 months left of my registration period. Each time when I've challenged my supervisors suggestions, or contributed to other reports (and my ideas have been integrated into their governmental reports), or pointed out something that my supervisors have missed out on, or my PhD work ideas and questions has made them think about the bigger project; my confidence has slowly started to increase.

I do have the occasional day where I'm thinking 'I really don't want to do this anymore', but when I've found something that is highly significant and obtain praise and acknowledgement from senior academics (Professors etc) I start to feel a little better about things! Rollercoaster of emotions though I have to say!

But yes, imposter syndrome is definitely applicable to me!

wow thanks for this D2I ! i can DEFINATELY relate to this, i also feel like an imposter, ALL of the time!! i really do, and i feel that during my viva the facade will all be revealed and the examiners will point and me and say "you're an imposter!!!"

my supervisor totally thinks im an indequate phd student, which only adds fuel to my own self doubt. no matter how many times people tell me to think positively and be confident, i just cant muster it. i just dont feel like i know my subject very well, probably like 5% !

its reassuring though that its an actual psychological condition, but in my case, i really am an imposter! lol

thanks also to A116 for the nature paper article! awesome, just printed it out :)