RESEARCH_FILE
Sanne Feenstra
University of Groningen
Known for:Research reframing impostor feelings as shaped by social context, not just personal traits
SEE THE PRACTICE
Turn a thought this research explains into one clear move.
THE THOUGHT
“They'll find out I'm a fraud”
YOUR RECORDED RESPONSE
“I keep the receipts. The record shows I delivered.”
ONE PRIVATE MOVE
For the next 8 minutes, make a private “proof list” on paper or in a notes app: three specific things you completed, clarified, corrected, or carried today. Keep it factual, not flattering.
Key findings
- 2020
The dominant person-based approach to the impostor 'syndrome' focuses on fixing individuals while missing how social context — biased environments, competitive climates, underrepresentation — shapes who comes to feel like a fraud. Contextualizing the Impostor "Syndrome" ↗
- 2025
Experimental and field evidence links competitive workplace climates to stronger impostor feelings — direct support for the claim that the environment, not just the person, drives the experience. How Workplace Competition Fuels the Impostor Phenomenon ↗