The present study sought to investigate the tenability of an experimental analog of the impostor phenomenon. Two models were proposed, one model representing the etiological factors of impostor phenomenon in children who are unempathically reinforced for precocious intelligence who later meet with failure, and the second model representing the etiological factors of impostor phenomenon in children who are unempathically reinforced for precocious sensitivity who later meet with academic success. Through the manipulation of response conditions, feedback for task performance, and level of self-acceptance, attempts were made to induce impostor feelings in naive subjects.

A total of 120 nurses (118 females, 2 males) were used as subjects. Subjects were randomly assigned to feedback and response conditions. Subjects levels of self acceptance and self regard were assessed (on the Personal Orientation Inventory), depression (on the Beck Depression Inventory), impostor levels (on the Impostor Phenomenon Scale), atypicality (on the Measure of Self-Perceived Atypicality) and agreement with feedback (on the Level of Agreement Scale). Subjects received a bogus test of professional competency which was administered and "scored" by a male stooge and a female assistant stooge. Analysis indicated that under conditions of response certainty subjects with low self-acceptance had elevated levels of impostor phenomenon the Impostor Phenomenon Scale. Other results demonstrated a positive correlation between impostor phenomenon and depression, a negative correlation between impostor phenomenon and self-regard, and a negative correlation between impostor phenomenon and years of experience in nursing.