The Imposter in Us All: Race, Gender, and Motivation in Academics

• In Event: AERA Poster Session 6
  In Poster Session: Motivation in Education SIG Poster Session: Process, Methods, and Outcomes

Abstract

Despite initiatives to increase diversity and inclusion in higher education, female, gender and racial minority academics often express feelings of imposterism. We compare the extent of imposterism experience by academics by gender and race, as well as examine the effect of gender and race on motivation. There was a significant difference in IP score between genders. A combination of competence, cost, attainment, success attribution to good luck, ability, ease, effort, and colleagues, failure attribution to ability and friends, and gender predict 60.6% of the variability in IP score. Institutions must continue to diversify, but also ensure these faculty and graduate students are properly supported.

Authors

• Ashley R Vaughn, Northern Kentucky University

• Marcus Johnson, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

• Gita Taasoobshirazi, Kennesaw State University