Perfectionism And The Imposter Phenomenon Among Postgraduate Students In India
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Abstract
Perfectionism is defined as “high standards of performance which are accompanied by tendencies for overly critical evaluations of one’s behaviour” (Frost et. al., 1990). Perfectionism is the tendency to strive for perfectionism and can be adaptive or maladaptive. Imposter phenomenon on the other hand, is a term that was coined by Dr. Pauline Clance and can be described as a feeling or psychological experience of having the belief or assumption that the individual is not accomplished due to his own ability but due to certain external forces not related to one’s genuine ability such as luck or manipulation. The aim of this study was to study the relationship between perfectionism and the imposter phenomenon and between the various dimensions of perfectionism and the imposter phenomenon among Indian postgraduate students. The study consisted of a sample of 189 students and the scales used in the study were the Hewitt & Flett Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (Hewitt & Flett, 1991) and the Clance Imposter Phenomenon Scale (Clance, 1985). The results indicated that there was a significant positive relationship between perfectionism and the imposter phenomenon. The results of the study also indicated that socially prescribed perfectionism had the strongest correlation with imposter phenomenon.
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References
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