Impostor syndrome (by Lídia Algar)

What this video is about

In this video, psychologist Lídia Algar explains what impostor syndrome is: the feeling of being a fraud due to difficulty internalising one’s own achievements, stemming from doubts about one’s abilities and skills. She describes it as a distortion in the perception of reality, closely linked to self-concept and to the way each person evaluates themselves. One of its most characteristic features is that, even with evidence of success, the person continues to attribute it to luck, excessive preparation or overexertion, that is, to an external locus of control.

Among the related factors she mentions perfectionism, self-esteem, family dynamics and self-sabotage, which leads people to let opportunities pass while searching for the perfect answer. She also notes that it can be a cause or consequence of stress, depression, anxiety or burnout, and that it often appears in the workplace. As possible signs she cites high self-demands, rejecting praise and attributing achievements to any factor other than oneself.

As she explains, it is not usually the reason for seeking help, but these aspects are worked on in therapy because they interfere with how people see themselves. Finally, she contrasts it with the Dunning-Kruger effect, the opposite distortion: believing one has greater abilities than one actually does.

Topics: impostor syndrome, self-esteem, perfectionism, high self-demands, Dunning-Kruger effect