LinkedIn Use May Cause Imposter Syndrome.

(CTN News) – New research conducted by the University of Edinburgh suggests that the use of professional social networking sites like LinkedIn, which boasts over 930 million users worldwide, can lead to feelings of self-doubt.

The study, based on a survey of LinkedIn users and published in the journal Psychology and Marketing, found that interacting with the platform was associated with experiences of imposter syndrome.

Imposter syndrome is characterized by feelings of inadequacy and a fear of being exposed as a fraud, and it can lead to anxiety and depressive thoughts.

The research revealed that individuals experienced a lack of professional confidence both when browsing other people’s posts and when sharing their achievements on the site.

Dr. Ben Marder from the University of Edinburgh’s Business School explained that even simple actions like scrolling through the newsfeed or posting an accomplishment can trigger a reflection on one’s professional identity, which in turn can fuel imposter thoughts.

The inclusion of LinkedIn in the study allowed researchers to examine the impact of the platform on individuals’ well-being. The study involved 506 participants who all possessed at least a Bachelor’s degree and had an average age of 36.

To assess the effects of LinkedIn, the researchers conducted two separate tests.

The first test involved analyzing the impact of browsing through other users’ posts, while the second test focused on how individuals felt after posting their achievements.

Through an online experiment, the researchers discovered that reading other people’s posts on LinkedIn had a slight yet significant correlation with experiencing imposter syndrome, in comparison to those who did not read such posts.

Furthermore, the study revealed that posting on LinkedIn was significantly associated with imposter syndrome, even after accounting for other potential influences.

Although LinkedIn offers various benefits such as career opportunities, professional connections, and access to industry-related knowledge and resources, the findings of this study shed light on an undesirable consequence of using social media platforms like LinkedIn.

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