-1

Many academics and students claim to be suffering from imposter syndrome. Many of these will be strong contributors regardless and I hope they find a way to cope with their self-esteem issues.

However, some of these actually will be imposters, and their feelings are appropiate and accurate indicators of their actual level of intellect and knowledge. Some of these people even claim to be suffering from imposter syndrome, when in fact their concerns are well justified.

What's a name for such people?

For example, there's a guy I know who often talks about how he has imposter syndrome because he often feels inadequate and outperformed in comparison to other students in our class. I don't know how to tell him that our class (in my experience) is wholly average and anybody who can't keep up with the level simply doesn't have the intellect/knowledge/effort required.

Improve this question
7
  • 10
    I guess the term would be imposters. But if you don't think your classmate is up to snuff, you should probably keep that to yourself unless he comes to you asking for brutally honest feedback. (Even then, you should probably point him to someone whose place it is to give such feedback, e.g. one of his professors.)
    – user37208
    Commented Aug 21, 2018 at 17:07
  • 2
    In general it is a mistake to characterize other individuals. Some people just struggle and don't know why. Some people need more self confidence, while others need more study. Overconfidence in your abilities can also be a problem. People are just messy in general. We have a couple hundred thousand years of muddling through.
    – Buffy
    Commented Aug 21, 2018 at 17:32
  • 2
    And what does this have to do with academia?
    – user9646
    Commented Aug 21, 2018 at 18:29
  • 2
    Echoing @NajibIdrissi: either this is a question about the English language; or it is a question whose main point seems to be to make a complaint. While I sympathise with frustration that may occur when encountering this situation, I suggest you try to formulate an explicit question about practice or norms
    – Yemon Choi
    Commented Aug 22, 2018 at 0:21
  • 1
    How about "clueless"?
    – Elizabeth Henning
    Commented Aug 22, 2018 at 3:56

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
7

I don't think there is any specific word. The people you describe are just below average or (relatively) low-achieving. I guess they could be labeled imposters, but I've never heard this used. That they claim imposter syndrome may make them delusional, but they could also just be mistaken -- it's notoriously difficult to accurately judge one's own abilities.

But, below-average students aren't necessarily imposters. Most classes have bell curves, and people on the lower half of the bell curve can still do fine work and earn their degree (and may well suffer from "imposter syndrome" if they assess their abilities far below their actual level). "True imposters" would be outliers so far below average that they should not have been admitted and are unlikely to be able to honestly earn the degree.

Improve this answer

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .