The Effect of Subject-Specific Impostor Phenomenon and Self-Efficacy on Expected Grade in Statistics

• In Event: 41.037 - Noncognitive Factors in Student Success

Abstract

The impostor phenomenon negatively affects individuals’ achievement, but possibly not
in all aspects of their lives. Presently, we reconceptualize the impostor phenomenon as a domain-specific construct. We modified an existing measure to reflect the impostor phenomenon in a statistics class, specifically. We tested this new measure using confirmatory factor analysis and found a good fit. Then, we used this construct to show that impostorism negatively affects a student’s expected grade in statistics; and the relation is partially mediated by reduced self-efficacy in statistics. Impostors did not expect to do well in their statistics class, and this was somewhat due to their reduced self- confidence in that course. Interventions designed to increase self-efficacy should consider impostorism as an important related construct.

Authors

• Lauren A Blondeau, The University of Texas - Austin

• Cheon-woo Han, The University of Texas - Tyler