Impostor Syndrome is Alive and Well in Qualitative Research
Hello Qualitative Mind,
Today’s blog post is slightly different from our usual content as it relates more to mindset than anything else I have written here. So let’s get uncomfortable and talk Impostor Syndrome! On the day I successfully defended my PhD, one of my committee members asked if I suffered from Impostor Syndrome and the answer was, “Yes, and I am working on it!”
I defended my PhD thesis during one of the coldest winter weeks in 2020. The temperature outside was below minus 25C and it was really cold! Despite the frightful weather outside, the room where my PhD seminar took place was warm and full of people who cheered me on along the PhD journey. I gave a great 30-minute presentation before moving on to my closed oral exam session. My exam room, on the other hand, was in the corner of a building with enormous glass windows; thus, it got dreadfully cold on that day. I was cold and could not tell how much of my physical sensation was coming from my nervousness. The exam lasted two full hours and it was HARD! As someone who had a project that tapped into social and health sciences, I had to answer challenging questions in both areas.
I was able to answer most questions but some answers started with a simple, “I don’t know.” I knew it then and I know now how much I truly don’t know, but that is one of the beauties of advanced education; you delve deep into a topic and realize how much you don’t know about so many other topics. Nevertheless, I successfully passed my exam with an unconditional pass. It was the best outcome I could have wished for.
How do you deal with impostor syndrome?
Later that day, my committee members took me out for dinner at a lovely local pub. One of them hugged me (which seems like a fantasy during a pandemic where physical distancing is a must) and complimented my performance during the exam. She also asked how I was feeling and I responded, “I don’t know. I don’t feel I did a great job but it’s over and I passed.” She immediately followed with another question, “Is it possible you might suffer from Impostor Syndrome?” The rest of the conversation is history in my PhD journey.
Yes, I suffer from Impostor Syndrome and so do approximately 70% of us [1]. Impostor Syndrome is responsible for that feeling that we are frauds and not enough for whatever we are trying to do or accomplish. Unfortunately, I think Impostor Syndrome is alive and well among academics and researchers who know too much (including about what they don’t know). Impostor Syndrome is a lie that we frequently tell ourselves, with deep repercussions in the dreams we have and the career paths we choose to follow.
I think that as qualitative researchers we need to acknowledge the undesirable presence of Impostor Syndrome when we think our projects are not good enough because the sample size is too small, findings are not generalizable, and/or our bias cannot be controlled, etc. We need to apply our very best critical thinking and ask ourselves the sincere question, “What am I telling myself right now?”. You will probably realize, as much as I have, that I am often telling myself stories that are unfounded and untrue. Impostor Syndrome in qualitative research usually comes from self-judging one’s study using quantitative paradigms and standards.
If you want to succeed and shine as a qualitative researcher, whether as an academic or as a graduate student, you need to face Impostor Syndrome with courage. This does not mean being defensive or passive-aggressive towards those who do not believe in qualitative research but, rather, knowing and owning your stance and practicing your qualitative skills over time. The other strategy I highly recommend to build your confidence is to become part of a community that can offer you encouragement when needed. From time to time, we all need it. Do not let Impostor Syndrome define the dreams and aspirations you have for your career as a qualitative researcher. There is rigor in qualitative research and, if someone does not believe that, they need to learn more about what they do not know!
Talk soon,
Maira Quintanilha
1 Sakulku, J. (1). The Impostor Phenomenon. The Journal of Behavioral Science, 6(1),75-97.