Transcendent or Fraudulent: Investigating the Relationships Among Imposter Phenomenon, Perfectionism, and Calling

This exploratory study investigated the relationship among imposter phenomenon (IP), perfectionism, and calling. While IP has been linked to perfectionism, no research has explored how calling may influence or be influenced by IP. This study tested whether calling serves as a protective or risk factor for IP and examined perfectionism as both a mediator and moderator of these relationships. 581 undergraduate students completed measures assessing IP, perfectionism, and calling. A series of linear regressions, mediation, and moderation analyses were conducted. Results indicated that calling was positively associated with IP, with perfectionism as a partial mediator. Perfectionism significantly predicted IP, and calling moderated this relationship, such that the link between perfectionism and IP was weaker for individuals higher in calling. Calling may simultaneously contribute to and buffer against IP, depending on perfectionism, suggesting that even typically adaptive psychological experiences like calling can heighten imposter feelings under certain conditions.