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For the design economy and the UK more widely to prosper during uncertain times, it is essential that we bring a greater range of people into design careers across more parts of the country.

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In 2019, young people spent an average of 2 hours per day watching television shows (Rideout, 2019). This viewing emerges so early in life that the American Academy of Pediatrics decided to release guidelines about screen time for children as young as 18-months-old (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2016). This demonstrates how important it is to explore the effects of such early and constant media exposure. Cultivation Theory states that exposure to media helps to shape thoughts, perceptions, and behaviors, and viewers adopt the assumptions and beliefs of media content as reality (Gerbner & Gross, 1976). Children are particularly vulnerable to media messages and use what they see in media to create their beliefs about themselves and others. Thus, the media industry holds great power over the socialization and self-concept of young people. Media can influence viewers in positive ways, but often become problematic when considering the underrepresentation or negative portrayal of certain identities such as gender, race, disability, and socioeconomic status.

One report (Lemish & Johnson, 2019) examined North American children's (up to age 12) television content, including 476 programs with 1,654 main characters, on channels such as Cartoon Network, Disney Channel, Disney Jr., Nick Jr., Nickelodeon, Sprout-Universal Kids, and PBS Kids. What they found in United States media was staggering:

Sixty-fivepercent of characters were white and female characters were more likely to be non-white or racially ambiguous than male characters. This is almost representative of the racial make-up of the U.S., as about 60% of the population is White, Non-hispanic and Non-latinx (U.S. Census Bureau).

Only 38% of characters were women or girls, while almost 51% of the US population is female (U.S. Census Bureau).

Female characters were twice as likely to solve problems using magic while males were more likely to solve problems using science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) or their physicality.

Fifty percent of female characters were shown to be wearing revealing clothing and had other physical traits that symbolize "sexiness." This is twice the number of males that were sexualized.

The majority of characters were thin, and more females than males were portrayed this way. Research shows that women are vulnerable to images of thinness in media and that exposure can be harmful (Posavac, Posavac, & Posavac, 1998).

One percent of characters had any sign of physical disability or chronic disease, while 20% of the population lives with a disability (Okoro, Hollis, Cyrus, & Griffin-Blake, 2018).

Two percent of characters were portrayed as having lower socioeconomic status, when about 20% of children in the U.S. live below the poverty line (NCCP).

Why is this a problem? Research shows that a lack of representation in media can lead to negative psychological outcomes for those with identities that are underrepresented or negatively portrayed (Tukachinsky, Mastro, & Yarchi, 2017). For example, a study on the effects of television exposure on the self-esteem of elementary-aged children showed that TV exposure related to lower self-esteem for Black girls and boys and White girls, but was actually related to higher self-esteem for White boys (Martins & Harrison, 2012). One explanation for such findings is that non-white and non-male youth are seeing little representation, or negative portrayals, of their gender or racial identities on screen. In addition, they might feel like they fail to live up to the unrealistic and unattainable expectations that are put forth in these media. If young people are watching negative depictions, or are not seeing themselves reflected at all, in their favorite shows, they may begin to feel invisible or unimportant. They lose the opportunity to see people with their identities and features being portrayed in a positive way.

Fortunately, identification with representative characters can lead to positive outcomes. Research shows that identifying with popular characters with the same identities in mainstream media leads to higher self-esteem on several dimensions (Ward, 2004). Such results underscore the importance of realistic, diverse, and inclusive representation in children's media.

Research shows that individuals engage with media in order to fulfill social identity needs; avoiding media that do not meet those needs and seeking out media that do (Abram and Giles, 2007). With the ever-changing nature of the media landscape, there are options other than traditional television and movies. In particular, the time that young people spend watching online videos has doubled in the last 4 years, while the time they spend watching traditional television shows has decreased (Rideout, 2019). A possible explanation for this drastic change could be that young people are beginning to flock to user-generated platforms, like YouTube, to seek out content that they identify with, perhaps because they are not exposed to such content through traditional television.

How do we fix this?

Sesame Street sets a fantastic example of diversity in children's media by including characters with a range of experiences and identities in their content that airs around the world. Their programming has continuously evolved with social topics over time, introducing Muppets and human characters dealing with diverse and real-life experiences such as autism, incarcerated parents, homelessness, substance use, and HIV. Other organizations like the Center for Scholars and Storytellers and the Geena Davis Institute on Gender and Media are collaborating with the media industry to actively advocate for and work towards equitable and appropriate representation of all identities both in front of and behind the camera.

A call to content creators: include kids of all races, genders, shapes and sizes, abilities, and socioeconomic status in your media content. When considering the broader impact, a shift towards more diverse and realistic representation would allow children to feel more comfortable with themselves and others and set the stage for a more peaceful and positive world.
References
Abrams, J. R., & Giles, H. (2007). Ethnic Identity Gratifications Selection and Avoidance by African Americans: A Group Vitality and Social Identity Gratifications Perspective. Media Psychology, 9(1), 115-134. https://doi.org/10.1080/15213260709336805

American Academy of Pediatrics Announces New Recommendations for Children's Media Use. (2016). Retrieved February 28, 2020, from https://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/Pages/American-Academy-of-Pediatrics-Announces-New-Recommendations-for-Childrens-Media-Use.aspx

Gerbner, G., & Gross, L. (1976). Living With Television: The Violence Profile.

Ward, M. L. (2004). Wading Through the Stereotypes: Positive and Negative Associations between Media Use and Black Adolescents' Conceptions of Self. Developmental Psychology, 40(2), 284-294. https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.40.2.284

Lemish, D., & Johnson, C. R. (2019). The Landscape of Children's Television in the US & Canada.

Martins, N., & Harrison, K. (2012). Racial and Gender Differences in the Relationship Between Children's Television Use and Self-Esteem. Communication Research, 39(3), 338-357. https://doi.org/10.1177/0093650211401376

NCCP | Child Poverty. (2019). Retrieved February 28, 2020, from http://www.nccp.org/topics/childpoverty.html

Okoro, C. A., Hollis, N. D., Cyrus, A. C., & Griffin-Blake, S. (2018). Prevalence of Disabilities and Health Care Access by Disability Status and Type Among Adults - United States, 2016. MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 67(32), 882-887. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6732a3

Posavac, H. D., Posavac, S. S., & Posavac, E. J. (1998). Exposure to media images of female attractiveness and concern with body weight among young women. Sex Roles, 38(3-4), 187-201. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018729015490

Rideout, V., & Robb, M. B. (2019). The Common Sense Census: Media Use by Tweens and Teen.

Sesame Street: Julia Latest Muppet to Promote Diversity | Time. (2017). Retrieved February 28, 2020, from https://time.com/4706631/sesame-street-julia-autism-diversity/

Tukachinsky, R., Mastro, D., & Yarchi, M. (2017). The Effect of Prime Time Television Ethnic/Racial Stereotypes on Latino and Black Americans: A Longitudinal National Level Study. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 61(3), 538-556. https://doi.org/10.1080/08838151.2017.1344669

U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: United States. (n.d.). Retrieved February 28, 2020, from https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045218

Ward, M. L. (2004). Wading Through the Stereotypes: Positive and Negative Associations between Media Use and Black Adolescents' Conceptions of Self. Developmental Psychology, 40(2), 284-294. https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.40.2.284

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Why Diversity in Children's Media is So Important - Psychology In Action

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The media industry holds great power over the socialization and self-concept of young people. Media can influence viewers in positive ways, but often become problematic when considering the underrepresentation or negative portrayal of certain identities such as gender, race, disability, and socioeco

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The latest statistics from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport reveal that employment in the sector is booming but only 10% of employees are from ethnic minority backgrounds.

The UK design industry employs over 50% more people than it did six years ago but is still 90% white and nearly 60% male, according to the latest Government figures.

Research revealed by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) shows that the creative industries have experienced a "jobs boom", with employment growing at four times the rate of the UK workforce as a whole.

Currently, two million people work in the creative sectors. This includes design and fashion; advertising and marketing; architecture; crafts; film, TV, video, radio and photography; music, performing and visual arts; museums, galleries and libraries; publishing; and IT, software and computer services.

Design industry up by 60,000 employees since 2011

The data was taken from the Office for National Statistics' (ONS) Annual Population Survey.

The UK's design sector in particular has jumped by 60,000 workers, employing 160,000 people in 2016 compared to 100,000 in 2011.

The statistics also show a rise in ethnic diversity in the design industry, which employed 5,000 more people from BAME (black, Asian and minority ethnic) backgrounds in 2016 compared to 2011, an increase of almost 50%.

"Still more to do" on diversity in creative industries

However, over 90% of the design workforce is still white, the figures show, and 58% of UK designers are male. The majority are aged between 25 and 39, and have a university degree or equivalent.

On the employment figures, Matt Hancock, creative industries minister at DCMS, says: "These positive job figures show Britain's creative industries are performing better than ever. Those working in the creative industries are cultural ambassadors for Britain, and play a hugely important role in helping form and shape the way we are viewed both at home and abroad.

"While there is still more to do before diversity in the creative industries mirrors that of our society as a whole, I'm encouraged to see that this area is improving at more than twice the rate of the wider workplace," he adds.

Hancock recently spoke at the Creative Industries Federation's international conference on the need to increase diversity within the creative industries, saying that those working within the sector need to "ensure they reach to all parts" of the UK when seeking new employees and give "everybody the chance to make the most of their lives".

Diversity statistics "worrying"

On diversity in the creative workforce, a spokesperson at the Creative Industries Federation says: "The headline statistics on diversity within the creative sector are worrying. [We] recognise that policy needs to change in order to allow everyone to fulfil their creative potential."

The Federation recently published the Creative Diversity report demonstrating that increasing diversity in the creative sector would also be economically beneficial."According to analysis presented, the most racially and ethnically diverse companies are more likely to have better than average returns," says the spokesperson.

They add: "One of the main areas of our policy work focuses on diversifying the workforce."

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Design industry still 90% white and 60% male, Government figures reveal | Design Week

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The latest statistics from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport reveal that employment in the sector is booming but only 10% of employees are from ethnic minority backgrounds. The UK design industry employs over 50% more people than it did six years ago but is still 90% white and nearly 60% male, according to the latest Government figures.

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Why Seeing Yourself Represented on Screen Is So Important

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"Black Panther" has been hailed as a model success story for depicting diversity on screen. According to past research, the representation of minority groups in mass media has a powerful educational impact on audiences.

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Dena M. Bravata, MD, MS, 1, ² Sharon A. Watts, MA, 2, ³ Autumn L. Keefer, PhD, ² Divya K. Madhusudhan, MPH, ² Katie T. Taylor, PhD, 2, ³ Dani M. Clark, BA, 2, ³ Ross S. Nelson, PsyD, 2, ⁴ Kevin O. Cokley, Ph.D., ⁵ and Heather K. Hagg, PhD ²

Abstract

KEY WORDS: impostor syndrome, behavioral health, occupational health

INTRODUCTION

Impostor syndrome (also known as impostor phenomenon, fraud syndrome, perceived fraudulence, or impostor experience) describes high-achieving individuals who, despite their objective successes, fail to internalize their accomplishments and have persistent self-doubt and fear of being exposed as a fraud or impostor. People with impostor syndrome struggle with accurately attributing their performance to their actual competence (i.e., they attribute successes to external factors such as luck or receiving help from others and attribute setbacks as evidence of their professional inadequacy). Psychologists Clance and Imes first described impostor phenomenon in 1978, and it came to widespread public attention after Clance's 1985 book. Clance originally identified the syndrome among high-achieving professional women, but more recent research has documented these feelings of inadequacy among men and women, in many professional settings, and among multiple ethnic and racial groups.

Impostor syndrome is not a recognized psychiatric disorder: It is not featured in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual nor is it listed as a diagnosis in the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). Outside the academic literature, impostor syndrome has become widely discussed, especially in the context of achievement in the workplace. Perhaps because it is not an officially recognized clinical diagnosis, despite the large peer review and lay literature, although there has been a qualitative review, there has never been a published systematic review of the literature on impostor syndrome. Thus, clinicians lack evidence on the prevalence, comorbidities, and best practices for diagnosing and treating impostor syndrome. Moreover, its actual effects on professional performance and burnout both among healthcare professionals and others are not known.

The purpose of this study was to critically evaluate the published literature on impostor syndrome-specifically to evaluate the prevalence of impostor syndrome in employed populations and characterize its relationship to workplace performance and burnout, characterize common comorbidities, and determine the most effective treatments for populations suffering from impostor symptoms.

METHODS

Data Sources and Searches

We developed search strategies for three databases: Medline, Embase, and PsycINFO for citations dated January 1966 to May 2018. We used search terms such as Imposter Syndrome and Impostor Phenomenon ( Appendix). We also reviewed bibliographies of retrieved articles to obtain additional citations.

Study Selection

We considered peer-reviewed studies eligible for inclusion if they reported data on the prevalence, comorbidities, or treatment of impostor syndrome. We excluded studies that were only reported as dissertations, validations of scales to identify impostor syndrome, described dementia- or delirium-based syndromes, or reported cases of legal fraud, impostor drugs, Munchausen's, or Munchausen's by proxy.

Data Extraction and Quality Assessment

Two authors independently abstracted five types of data from each of the included studies onto pre-tested data collection forms: study variables (e.g., purpose of the study, study methodology, treatments provided); participant variables (e.g., demographics, professional setting); diagnostic tools used to assess for impostor symptoms, outcome variables (e.g., workplace performance, reductions in comorbid conditions); and pre-defined quality variables (e.g., human subjects approval, response rates reported). We resolved abstraction discrepancies by repeated review and discussion. If two or more studies presented the same data from a single patient population, we included these data only once in our analyses.

Lay Literature Search

While performing background literature searches using general Internet search engines, we noted an abundance of non-peer-reviewed literature on impostor syndrome. Thus, we undertook a literature search to assess lay interest in the topic of impostor syndrome. We first used the search engine optimization tool Moz to evaluate the key terms used by authors of Internet articles on impostor syndrome. The term Imposter Syndrome was almost exclusively used ("Imposter Syndrome Test" was also used), whereas Impostor Phenomenon was never used. We then used the content curation and analysis tool BuzzSumo to evaluate the number of Internet articles indexed with the term "Imposter Syndrome" published between March 28, 2018, to March 28, 2019, and to measure the number of times these articles were shared, liked, or commented upon on social media platforms Facebook, Pinterest, Reddit, and Twitter.

Data Synthesis and Analysis

Given the heterogeneity of the included studies, we summarized the populations assessed, diagnostic tools used, and reported prevalence, comorbidities, and any treatments provided qualitatively. The datasets generated during data collection and analysis are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Role of Funding Source

This work was funded by Crossover Health, a provider of employer-sponsored health clinics. The funder had no role in this study's design, conduct, or reporting.

RESULTS

Our searches identified 284 titles of potentially relevant peer-reviewed articles (Fig. ). After synthesizing the data from multiple reports on the same set of participants, 66 articles describing 62 studies with 14,161 participants met our inclusion criteria (Table ).]

Table 1.

Bernard et al. (2017)(12) (2018)(13)

USA

Examine the association between racial discrimination and the impostor phenomenon

African American college students

68%

Cohort 1-19yrs

Cohort 2-18yrs

Cross sectional survey

Prevalence: Not Stated. Women reporting high frequency of racial discrimination but lower levels of distress resulting from racial discrimination had higher levels of IP.

Brauer & Proyer (2017)(14)

Germany

Evaluate the association of impostor phenomenon and positive coping skills such as playfulness

Sample 1 - Psychology students

Sample 1-244

Sample 1-23yrs

Sample 2 - 37yrs

RR - not stated.

Sample 2-222

RR- not stated

Sample 2 - Working professionals

Cross sectional survey

Prevalence: Not Stated. Among both students and working professionals, playfulness (an important characteristic of resilience) was negatively correlated with IP. The authors report mixed correlations between different types of playfulness among students and working professionals with and without IP. Age was significantly negatively correlated with IP among professionals (p<0.001) but not for students.

Christensen et al. (2016)(20)

Examine the prevalence of IS in final year nursing students

Nursing Students

Not Stated

Not Stated

Cross sectional survey

Prevalence: 45.1 % had moderate imposter phenomenon, 33.4% were classified as frequently having imposter feelings, and 8.3% described as often experiencing intense IS experiences.

A positive weak correlation between IP and preparedness for practice was found.

Ewing et al. (1996) (29)

USA

Explore the relationship between racial identity, world view, graduate school environment and IP

African American Graduate Students

70%

31yr

Cross sectional survey

Prevalence: Not stated. Standard multiple regression analysis indicated that a model that included Belief Systems Analysis Scale and Racial Identity Attitudes Scale scores contributed to significant proportion of variance in IP scores F (5,94) = 3.48. R ² = .16, p ≤ .01. Worldview was a better predictor of susceptibility to the imposter phenomenon than racial identity attitudes. When combined with academic self-concept, racial identity attitudes significantly contributed to predicting imposter feelings. Authors point out that imposter syndrome scales have not been normed on Non-White populations.

Ferrari & Thompson (2006)(31)

Examined impostor fears, self-handicapping and self-presentational concerns

Study 1- 165

Study 1 - 21yrs

Study 1 - Cross sectional

Study 2 - Experimental

Study 2 -21yrs

RR -not stated

Study 2 - 72

RR - not stated

Prevalence: Not stated; Mean IP score (Clance 20 item scale) was 55.75, SD 13.97 and 62.68, SD 12.54 in Study 1 and 2 respectively. In Study 1, imposter fears were significantly related to social desirability, perfectionistic cognitions, and non-display of imperfection to others. In Study 2, women were exposed either to face-saving failure (failure that did not indicate low ability, thereby assuaging self-presentational concerns), humiliating failure (where no mitigating excuse for poor performance was available), or success. Following humiliating failure, participants high in impostor fears claimed more handicaps than those low in imposter fears. However, when provided with a face-saving excuse, these participant groups did not differ in their propensity to claim handicaps.

Gibson-Beverly & Schwartz

(2008)(34)

USA

Evaluate whether prior parental attachment and perceptions of entitlement are predictors of IP

Female graduate students

100%

34yrs

Prevalence: Not Stated; Mean IP score (20 item Clance Scale) was 54.37, SD 13.22.

Anxious attachment and entitlement were positively correlated with the Clance IP Scale (p < .01 for both).

Cross sectional survey

USA

To investigate the relationships between interpersonal flexibility, Type A behavior, and impostor characteristics

Undergraduate students

71%

Cross sectional survey

Prevalence: Not Stated. Interpersonal flexibility was negatively related to impostor characteristics for both men and women. Type A and impostor characteristics were negatively related for men, they were positively related for women. The results of these analyses indicated that the men and women did not differ with respect to interpersonal flexibility (P > .08) and Type A characteristics (P =.53). However, women had significantly higher scores on the impostor test (P < .02).

Hutchins & Rainbolt (2016) (37)

Hutchins et al. (2018)(38)

USA

Evaluate emotional exhaustion and job satisfaction among faculty with IP

Academic Faculty

Not Stated

Cross-sectional survey and semi-structured interview

Prevalence: Not Stated; Mean IP score (Clance 20 item Scale) was 2.81 and 2.55 in sample 1 and sample 2 respectively. IP was positively related to emotional exhaustion (p < .01) and negatively related to job satisfaction (p < .01). Men and women differ in their coping strategies to manage IP.

LaDonna et al. (2018)(44)

Canada

Identify strategies to support physicians who struggle with underperformance

Physicians

36%

Not Stated

Qualitative Study

(Semi -structured Interviews)

Prevalence: Not Stated. Not all participants identified as imposters; instead, the authors consider IS as only occurring at the extreme end of the spectrum of self-doubt. During residency, self-doubt is mostly around a pervasive concern that their medical skills and knowledge were not as good as they thought they were. For consultants, their insecurities suggested a fear that they were not as good as others thought they were.

Leary et al. (2000)(45)

USA

Undergraduate students

Study 1 range: 17-23yrs.

Study 2 and 3: Not stated

Prevalence: Not Stated. Study 1: Impostorism is more clearly a function of self-evaluations than of the discrepancy between self-evaluations and reflected appraisals.

Study 2: No sig difference in impostorism by gender. High impostorism was negatively correlated with expected performance. When impostorism scores were split at the median, high impostors responded that they would score, on the average, in the 66 th percentile whereas low impostors indicated that they would score in the 75 th percentile. When participants thought their responses were public, high impostors expressed lower expectations regarding performance, reported that doing well on the test was less important, derogated the validity of the test, and expressed less satisfaction about the possibility of performing well.

Study 3: Impostors indicated they would feel less good about performing well when their scores were public rather than private. Impostorism was negatively correlated with self-confidence and self esteem.

Cross sectional survey

McClain et al. (2016)(54)

USA

Evaluate the association of minority stress status, IP, racial centrality, and ethnic identity on mental health among African American college students

College

Undergraduates

72%

21yrs

Prevalence: Not Stated

Minority stress and IP were significantly negatively related to mental health whereas ethnic identity and racial centrality were positively related to mental health. No significant gender differences were found

Cross sectional survey

McElwee & Yurak (2007)(55)

USA

Evaluate the differences in affect and impression management styles between non-impostors, strategic impostors, and true impostors

College students (undergrad and graduate level)

20yrs

Cross sectional survey

Prevalence: Not Stated. Impostorism is associated with greater levels of negative affect and lower levels of self-esteem and positive affect. Impostor scores were not predicted by low self-appraisals combined with high reflected appraisals, but instead were predicted only by low self-appraisals. Impostorism correlated positively with self-handicapping and negatively with the self-enhancing strategies. True impostors had lower self-esteem and more negative affect than did strategic impostors; however, they did not differ on positive affect.

McGregor et al. (2008)(57)

USA

Examine the relationship between the IP and depression

Liberal Arts college students

62%

Not Stated

Cross sectional survey

Neureiter & Traut-Mattausch (2016)(58)

Study 1: Austria

Study 2: Germany

Study 1: College undergrads

Study 2: Airport employees

Evaluate whether IP is a potential psychological barrier in the career development process.

Cross sectional survey

Prevalence: Not Stated. In both study 1 and 2: Impostor feelings were associated with fear of failure, fear of success, and low self-esteem. Participants who reported more impostor feelings reported less career planning, less career striving, and less motivation to lead

Robinson & Goodpaster (1991)(65)

USA

Examine the differences in IP among persons with alcoholic and non-alcoholic parents

College & Graduate students, members of Adult Children of Alcoholics

Not Stated

Cross sectional survey

Prevalence: Not Stated. IP was highest among the Adult Children of Alcoholics group and lowest among students with non-alcoholic parents.

Selby & Mahoney (2002)(67)

USA

Examine the consequences of self-focused attention among self-described imposters and non-imposters who exhibited varying degrees of complexity in their self-systems

Graduate students

50

52%

28yrs

Experimental analysis (pre-post a specific mirror task)

Prevalence: 40%; Mean IP score (Clance 20 item scale) was 54.64, SD 12.20

Imposters' galvanic skin responses (GSR) responses during the control condition (M=16.11, SD=9.17) were significantly lower during mirror 2 condition (19)=2.99,p=.008,but not different from their responses during mirror 1 condition, t(19)=.065,p=.52). Likewise, their GSR responses during mirror 1 condition were substantially lower than during the mirror 2 condition t(19)=5.23,p<.001. Imposters and Non imposters did not differ in average GSR responses during the Mirror 2 condition, t(48)= -.97,p=.397. However, imposters did report significantly lower self esteem scores after the experimental condition than non-imposters t(48) = -4.94,p<.001

Australia

Clarify the affective and attributional behavior of impostors following success and failure feedback

College students

(Psychology)

77%

20yrs

Prevalence: 48.8%; Mean IP score (Clance 20 item scale) was 73.05, SD 6.68.

Using the 62-cutoff score, 48.8% of respondents were classified as impostors with 51.2% classified a non-impostor on CIPS. While a higher percentage of females (50.8%) relative to males (39%) were classified as impostors, this difference did not reach statistical significance. Age was negatively associated with impostor fears. Imposters felt greater humiliation and guilt after failure than success; there was no sig difference in these in either the success/failure condition for non-imposters. Imposters attributed poor performance to internal factors to a greater extent than non-imposters. Imposters reported lower academic and global self-esteem than non-imposters. There was no difference in GPA between imposters and non-imposters.

Cross sectional survey

Australia

To assess the connection between impostor fears and perfectionistic concern over mistakes

College students

(Psychology)

82%

21yrs

Cross sectional survey

Prevalence: Not assessed in this study. Imposters reported less control (p <0.005), greater anxiety (p <0.002), more negative affect and greater concern over mistakes (p <0.01), than non-imposters when performing tasks.

Vergauwe (2015)(72)

Belgium

Examine the trait-relatedness of the IP and the potential impact of IP on relevant work attitudes and organizational citizenship behavior

White collar workers

58%

36yrs

Cross-sectional survey

Villwock et al. (2016)(73)

USA

To assess gender and other demographics associated with IP and evaluate weather IP is associated with burnout

Medical Students

56%

Cross sectional survey

Prevalence: 49% of females and 23.7% of males displayed IS (Young Imposter Scale).

White and Asian race/ethnicity is associated with lower rates of IS (30%) compared with other races (73%). Female gender was not significantly associated with burnout. Students with IS had increased levels of exhaustion, emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and depersonalization. Fourth year students had higher level of IS than other years.

Study Characteristics

Although our searches were for the literature starting in 1966, the included studies were all published between 1990 and 2018 (Fig. )-notably, half were published in the past 6 years.

Nearly all of the included studies were single-arm observational studies (Table ). Most commonly, the authors identified a population of interest, screened them with a validated impostor syndrome questionnaire and other psychometric assessment tools, then described the prevalence of impostor syndrome and co-occurring psychological issues. Two studies also included semi-structured interviews. One study included an experimental design in which subjects were exposed to successes and failures and asked to report on impostor feelings after these exposures. The only longitudinal assessment was of college students with impostor syndrome who were followed before and after a midterm examination. Notably, there were no randomized trials and only one study presented qualitative information about the clinical management people with impostor syndrome.

Participant Characteristics

The included studies evaluated 14,161 participants, 60% of whom were women. Among those studies reporting a mean population age, the weighted mean age was 20 years (Fig. )-not surprising given that 34 of the included studies were of students. However, 17 studies included populations with a mean age of > 30 years and 5 additional studies were of professional populations but did not report a mean age.]-->

Diagnostic Tools

Several tools have been developed to assess impostor syndrome. The preponderance of included articles used the Clance Imposter Phenomenon Scale (or its German translation), a 20-item scale on a 5-point Likert scale related to self-assessed competency, praise, and success. Six studies used the Harvey Impostor Phenomenon Scale (HIPS), a 14-item questionnaire on a 7-point Likert scale regarding personality traits (where a higher score indicates greater identification with impostor syndrome). Two used the Leary Imposter Scale, two used self-developed questionnaires, one used the Perceived Fraudulence Scale, and one used the Young Imposter scale.

There is considerable variation in how researchers interpret specific scores on the impostor syndrome diagnostic scales. For some, a score of < 40 on the CIPS denotes no impostorism, 40-59 mild, 60-79 moderate, and > 80 as severe impostor feelings. Others recommend using a score of 62 on the CIPs or use the median CIP score in their population to distinguish impostors from non-impostors. We note the cutoffs used, when reported.

Prevalence

Few of the included studies were designed to assess the prevalence of impostor syndrome, which varied widely from 9 to 82% largely depending on the screening tool and cutoff used to assess symptoms. For example, Chae et al. found that the prevalence of impostor syndrome among 654 Korean Catholics varied from 24% using a CIPS cutoff of 62 to 39% using a cutoff of 58. We suspect that the included literature on the prevalence of impostor syndrome may be subject to publication bias (i.e., the tendency of journals to publish studies with positive findings rather than negative findings) since all of the included studies reported some participants endorsing impostor feelings.

Predictors of Impostor Syndrome

Comorbid Conditions

Many included articles explored the psychological issues that are often found to co-exist with impostor syndrome including depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, somatic symptoms, and social dysfunctions. Impostor feelings among high school students correlated significantly with a history of prior suicidal ideation and attempts and depression. Clearly, the care of patients with impostor syndrome requires a careful assessment for comorbid conditions and treatment of them in addition to addressing the impostor feelings.

Treatment

None of the included articles presented an evaluation of a specific treatment (e.g., cognitive behavioral therapy) for managing impostor symptoms. A 1985 paper by Matthews and Clance qualitatively described their experiences in private practice caring for 41 people with impostor feelings. They recommended validating patients' doubts and fears, directly addressing fears of failure, and providing group therapy since these patients often feel isolated and that they alone experience impostor feelings; however, no data were presented on treatment intensity, duration, or improvements on any diagnostic tool.

Lay Literature Results

We found considerable lay interest in impostor syndrome. During the year (March 28, 2018-March 18, 2019), 2317 Internet articles were published on impostor syndrome (150-200 articles/month). These resulted in 133,425 engagements (e.g., "likes," re-postings, comments) on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. While numerous Internet users interacted with content originating from sites like Psychology Today (968 engagements), the majority of readers engaged with articles posted on blogging platforms like Medium.com (3111 engagements) or sites targeted toward professionals, like Inc.com (1568 engagements), LinkedIn.com (795 engagements), and Forbes.com (688 engagements).

A detailed review of the content of these articles is outside the scope of this study. However, the vast majority were tagged as "What is..." articles, which define impostor syndrome followed by "How-To" articles, which offer treatment tips. Many of the articles classified as "What is..." articles also include tips about how to manage impostor syndrome. These tips run the gamut from "embracing authenticity" to "comparing notes with peers and mentors about shared impostor feelings"; however, much of this advice involves changing the thought processes that affirm feeling like a fraud. In 2018, Time Magazine published an article with an accompanying short video entitled, "Yes, Imposter syndrome is real. Here's how to deal with it." Among other suggestions, they recommend that people suffering with impostor syndrome learn to reframe their thoughts and visit a psychologist.

Notably, whereas the academic literature on the topic is nearly all indexed with the term Impostor Phenomenon, the entirety of the lay literature is indexed with the term Imposter Syndrome.

DISCUSSION

This, the first published systematic review of the literature on impostor syndrome which includes a novel, if somewhat unconventional lay literature review, has six key findings. First, we found a large peer-reviewed literature of more than 60 studies, half of which were published in the last 6 years. This is congruent with the recent explosion in interest on the topic of impostor syndrome in the lay literature. There are several gaps between the peer-reviewed and lay literatures including that academics prefer the term Impostor Phenomenon while lay authors use Imposter Syndrome. Whereas the published literature included no studies of interventions to treat impostor syndrome, the lay literature abounds with advice on how to manage impostor symptoms. Given the current state of the peer-reviewed literature, mental health professionals faced with patients suffering from impostor syndrome will likely use evidence-based treatments for comorbid conditions such as cognitive behavioral therapy for depression and anxiety, but do not have an evidence base upon which to rely specifically for the impostor symptoms. This is a critical gap in the published literature-we recommend a prospective evaluation of the use of individual and group cognitive behavioral therapy focused on addressing impostor feelings on clinical and workplace outcomes for employed populations across a range of professions. Moreover, we recommend that impostor syndrome be considered for inclusion in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) so that the approach to patients with these symptoms can be codified for behavioral health providers.

Second, much of the earliest literature on impostor syndrome focused on women. While women do suffer from impostor syndrome, half of the included studies that reported evaluating a gender effect found no difference in the rates of men and women suffering from impostor syndrome. An implication of this finding is that clinicians and employers should be alert for impostor feelings in their entire population, not just women.

Third, numerous studies found impostor syndrome to be prevalent among ethnic minorities. A key finding from one of these studies is that impostor syndrome is a stronger predictor of mental health issues than minority status stress. This is particularly significant given that research on ethnic minority populations tends to focus on their minority status and presumed experiences of discrimination, rather than the individual differences within a minority group such as the impostor syndrome. Another important finding is that attempts to standardize impostor syndrome assessments typically include small numbers of ethnic minorities, which raises questions of whether current impostor measures are valid for ethnic minority populations.

Fourth, it would be reassuring to believe that impostor symptoms decline with age. Unfortunately, half of the six studies that reported on age effects found that impostor symptoms decline with age but half did not. Clearly, this is a key open question that future studies evaluating employed populations (rather than just evaluating students) could address.

Fifth, depression and anxiety are frequently comorbid with impostor feelings. In the absence of specific treatment recommendations for impostor syndrome, patients with impostor feelings should be rigorously screened for depression and anxiety and treated for these with evidence-based therapies. Individuals experiencing impostor syndrome often perceive themselves to be the "only one" having these feelings, resulting in even greater isolation. Thus, referral to group therapy in which peers/coworkers discuss their feelings of doubt and failure might be particularly therapeutic. Clinicians and other high-achieving professionals may be reluctant to participate in such groups unless they are carefully designed to normalize and destigmatize impostor feelings and provide a safe environment in which to share experiences openly.

Finally, there is robust literature that describes the harmful association between impostor feelings and job performance, job satisfaction, and burnout among various employee populations, including healthcare professionals. In light of this evidence, we encourage professors and employers to incorporate recognition of this phenomenon in the development of both structured (e.g., training, orientation, onboarding) and unstructured (e.g., mentoring, coaching, self-directed learning) learning and career development activities. Success-oriented employees such as clinicians commonly have a thirst for training and personal growth. Offering resources such as access to therapy and resilience trainings that focus on impostor syndrome could help reduce the prevalence of impostorism in employed populations. When applicable, de-identified assessments can help the employees evaluate their personal change over time, while enabling managers to assess the impact of the structured intervention. In addition to structured and unstructured learning, professors and employers can target impostor syndrome by creating healthier expectations and a culture where mistakes are not interpreted as failures and publicly acknowledging and celebrating employee accomplishments.

Our study reflects the limitations of the included studies. First, nearly all studies were of the same design (cross-sectional surveys, often of convenience samples). The literature suffers from a lack of randomized and prospective trials and is likely subject to publication bias. Second, the weighted mean age of the studies that reported the age of their population was 20 years old, a finding driven by the preponderance of student populations among the included articles. However, given that 19 of the included studies described impostor syndrome in employed populations, the results of this review are relevant to older populations as well. Third, few studies addressed clinicians outside of academic environments-a critical gap given burnout among clinicians in a wide range of clinical settings. Additionally, the included studies evaluated workers only in a limited number of professional settings-none evaluated workers in technology companies-an important limitation given the amount of lay literature specifically targeting this population. Finally, given the nature of the reported data, we were precluded from performing quantitative synthesis of the included studies.

Our study is the first published synthesis of the peer-reviewed evidence on impostor syndrome. Our results suggest that impostor symptoms are prevalent among men and women and members of multiple ethnic groups, and are significantly associated with worsened experiences both in academic and professional settings. The literature critically lacks thoughtful evaluations of treatments of impostor feelings. We encourage caregivers, professors, and employers to be mindful of the likelihood of impostor syndrome in the populations under their care and to take steps to mitigate these feelings.

Appendix

Funding Information

This work was funded by Crossover Health, a provider of employer-sponsored health clinics.

Compliance with Ethical Standards

The funder had no role in this study's design, conduct, or reporting.

Conflict of Interest

All authors except for Dr. Cokley were either employees of or consultants to Crossover Health, the funder of this study. Dr. Cokley received no financial support for his participation in this study.

Footnotes
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

References

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Prevalence, Predictors, and Treatment of Impostor Syndrome: a Systematic Review

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Dena M. Bravata, MD, MS, 1, 2 Sharon A. Watts, MA, 2, 3 Autumn L. Keefer, PhD, 2 Divya K. Madhusudhan, MPH, 2 Katie T. Taylor, PhD, 2, 3 Dani M. Clark, BA, 2, 3 Ross S. Nelson, PsyD, 2, 4 Kevin O. Cokley, Ph.D., 5 and Heather K.

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People with impostor syndrome doubt their achievements and ability and fear that they may be a fraud.

Impostor syndrome can affect anyone, regardless of job or social status, but high-achieving individuals often experience it.

Psychologists first described the syndrome in 1978. According to a 2020 review, of people experience impostor syndrome. The numbers may vary depending on who participates in a study.

Many people experience symptoms for a limited time, such as in the first few weeks of a new job. For others, the experience can be lifelong.

In this article, we discuss the ways impostor syndrome occurs and some ways to overcome it.

A person with impostor syndrome has:

a sense of being a fraud

fear of being discovered

difficulty internalizing their success

Having a sense of self-doubt can help a person assess their achievements and ability, but too much self-doubt can adversely impact a person's self-image.

This can lead to symptoms of distress known as impostor syndrome, which can affect the following aspect of a person's life.

Work performance

The person may fear that their colleagues and supervisors expect more from them than they can manage. They may feel unable to deliver.

The person may fear that their colleagues and supervisors expect more from them than they can manage. They may feel unable to deliver.

The fear of not succeeding may cause a person to hold themselves back and avoid seeking higher achievements. This, along with the fear of doing things wrong, their overall job performance.

Taking on responsibilities

People with impostor syndrome may focus heavily on limited tasks instead of taking on additional duties that can prove their abilities, according to research published in 2014.

They may avoid taking on additional tasks for fear that they will distract from or compromise the quality of their other tasks.

Self-doubt

Success can create a cycle of self-doubt for people with impostor syndrome. Even when the person achieves an important milestone, they may be unable to recognize their accomplishments.

Instead of celebrating their achievements, the person may worry that others will discover the "truth" about their abilities.

Attributing success to outside factors

Individuals with impostor syndrome deny their competency. They may feel that their successes are due to outside factors or chance.

Similarly, when things go wrong due to external reasons, the person may blame themselves.

Job dissatisfaction and burnout

In some cases, a person may not feel sufficiently challenged in their work, but a fear of failure or discovery stops them from seeking promotion or extra responsibility.

As the person works to overcome feelings of inadequacy, they may also have a higher risk of burnout.

Results of the 2014 study suggest that people with impostor syndrome tend to stay in their positions because they do not believe that they can do better. The person may undervalue their skills or fail to recognize how other roles might place more importance on their abilities.

Avoid seeking promotion

Undervaluing skills and abilities can lead those with impostor syndrome to deny their worth. They may avoid seeking promotion or a raise because they do not believe they deserve it.

In the original 1978 study, one academic believed there must have been a mistake in the selection process when they received their appointment, as they did not see how they could be deserving of the role.

Focus on tasks and goal-setting

A fear of failure and the need to be the best can sometimes lead to overachievement.

The person may set themselves extremely challenging goals and experienced disappointment when they are unable to achieve them.

Mental health impact

The fear of not being good enough can lead to mental health complications, in some cases. The person may experience:

However, experts do not consider impostor syndrome a mental health condition.

Dr. Valerie Young, author of The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women: Why Capable People Suffer from the Impostor Syndrome and How to Thrive in Spite of It, has identified five types of "impostors."

The expert will not feel satisfied when finishing a task until they feel that they know everything about the subject. The time spent searching for information can make it hard to complete tasks and projects.

The perfectionist experiences high levels of anxiety, doubt, and worry, especially when they set themselves extreme goals that they are unable to achieve. A perfectionist will focus on areas where they could have done better rather than celebrate their achievements.

Natural geniuses master many new skills quickly and easily, and they may feel ashamed and weak when faced with a goal that is too hard. Learning that everyone needs to struggle to achieve some goals may help.

The soloist, or "rugged individualist," prefers to work alone, fearing that asking for help will reveal incompetence. The person may turn down help in an attempt to prove their self-worth.

Superheroes often excel due to extreme effort, as in "workaholism." This can lead to burnout, which can affect physical and mental well-being and relationships with others.

While anyone can develop impostor syndrome, several factors increase the risk, including:

New challenges: A recent opportunity or success, such as a promotion, can trigger a sense of "impostorism." The person may feel undeserving of the new position or that they will be unable to perform adequately.

Family environment: When a person grows up alongside a "gifted" sibling, they may internalize feelings of inadequacy that are not justified. At the same time, a person who finds it easy to perform well during childhood may experience doubts when faced with a task that is hard to achieve.

Being from a marginalized population group: suggests that people from some ethnic groups may be more at risk. The experience of discrimination may play a role.

Having depression and anxiety: These are common among people with impostor syndrome.

While many studies focus on females, research suggests that age and gender do not affect the likelihood of experiencing impostor syndrome.

There is currently no specific treatment for impostor syndrome, but people can seek help from a mental health professional if they have concerns about its impact on their life.

The following steps can also help a person manage and overcome a sense of inadequacy related to impostor syndrome.

Talk about it

Sharing feelings with or getting feedback from a trusted colleague, friend, or family member can help a person develop a more realistic perspective on their abilities and competence.

Some recommend group therapy as a treatment option, as many people with impostor syndrome mistakenly believe that only they have these feelings, leading to isolation.

Opening up with a mental health professional may also enable a person to identify the reason for their feelings, giving them the chance to tackle the underlying causes.

Be aware of the symptoms

Knowing what impostor syndrome is and why it happens can help people spot the symptoms when they arise and apply strategies to overcome their doubts.

Accept that perfectionism is impossible

To have a healthy sense of self-esteem and self-worth, a person needs to accept both their strengths and weaknesses. Nobody is perfect, and mistakes are an inevitable part of life.

Learning to accept that things sometimes go wrong can increase resilience and mental well-being.

Challenge negative thoughts

Swapping negative thoughts for positive ones is a key step toward overcoming impostor syndrome.

Tips include:

celebrating current achievements

recalling past successes

keeping a record of positive feedback from others

Cognitive-behavioral therapy aims to improve coping strategies by challenging unhelpful thinking patterns.

Impostor syndrome is not a recognized disorder, and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ( Fifth Edition) (DSM-5) does not list criteria for diagnosing it. However, some believe it should have this status.

Mental health professionals can help people who experience impostor syndrome and anxiety or other symptoms that occur with it.

Many people experience symptoms of impostor syndrome at some time. It is important to remember that perceptions do not always reflect reality.

Ways of overcoming it include talking about fears and challenging negative thoughts. Keeping a record of achievements and celebrating successes can be beneficial.

It may help to work with a mental health professional, especially when symptoms persist or severely impact a person's mental health and quality of life.

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Impostor syndrome: Symptoms, types, and how to deal with it

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People with impostor syndrome doubt their achievements and ability and fear that they may be a fraud. Impostor syndrome can affect anyone, regardless of job or social status, but high-achieving individuals often experience it. Psychologists first described the syndrome in 1978. According to a 2020 review, of people experience impostor syndrome.

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Just over 50 years ago, at the apex of the Civil Rights Movement in the U.S., Dorothy Jackson interviewed five Black designers about "the frustrations and opportunities in a field where 'flesh-colored' means pink" for PRINT. The article was perhaps the first in the mainstream trade press to directly address the impacts of racism in the profession and describe the experience of Black practitioners in their own words.

What has changed since then? What remains the same? We asked today's design leaders to compare their experience to the 1968 discussion and imagine what's next.

(Click to zoom-or for a full-text version, .)
What in the article resonated most for you?
It is hard to believe that this article was written in 1968. More than 50 years later, very little has changed. According to the 2019 design censuscreated by AIGA and Google, Black men and women make up just 3% of the design industry. We are 13% of the total U.S. population. The failure to close that gap is a failure of our educational institutions, our industry organizations, and the design profession as a whole.

Why does it matter? Graphic design is about communication. It is about access to information. To get more information to more people, we need more understanding. We need the communicators, the designers, to better represent the people they're talking to. Better representation means better communication, which means information is more equitably shared-and knowledge is power. The makeup of our industry needs to better reflect the makeup of our country.

To break the cycle, we need a more diverse mix of industry gatekeepers. We need design writers to seek out more inclusive stories-and to help rewrite history. We need awards shows to open up entries, open up judging, and celebrate craft in all its many permutations. And we need the people that do the hiring to do the work of seeking out representation at every level of design. The trick is that it's going to be a lot of work. It's worth it.
What has changed?
It would be reasonable to expect that the work of all these featured designers be documented and shared in our design history books, but I had never heard of them until the article was reprinted in June. None of the names show up in a Google search. It's no wonder that young Black design students, like me, thought Reid Miles, James Victore, Randy Balsmeyer and Milton Glaser were Black. Before Google, before I made my way to New York City, I assumed that the most iconic work made for Black music, film and culture was made by Black designers. It turns out that not only was design history blind to Black designers, but the industry was too. Many, not all, but many of the jobs promoting Black culture were awarded to White designers. Now I'm left to wonder how many of the recent ads showing support for the Black Lives Matter movement were created by Black designers or Black-owned agencies? And, if the work is Black-made, will it make it into our history books?
Do you see signs of future change?
I remain hopeful. Young designers are calling out an industry stuck in its old ways. Black designers are holding doors open and pulling up. There are more Black business owners and more Black marketing executives taking their seat at the table. Design cannot ignore the national mandate for change. We're marching in the streets. It's time to embrace the reckoning and see what's on the other side.

(New York City) co-founded Champions Design, formerly Original Champions of Design, with Jennifer Kinon in 2010. In 2017, Fast Company named him one of the Most Creative People in Business. He served on the board of the Type Directors Club and on the board of AIGA/NY from 2006-08. Bobby graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University and earned an MFA from the School of Visual Arts, where he is also faculty.

What in the article resonated most for you? The ongoing difficulties, the psychological trauma of always feeling as though you are being tied down and constantly suppressed by teachers, colleagues, clients and the media, yet still have the will to succeed. At the time of the article's publication, 1% to 2% of designers were Black. In a 2011 New York Times article, "Design Gets More Diverse," I stated, "There are more Black designers coming up now. ... But it is disappointing that there aren't more of us." Now there is approximately 3%. When you look at leadership, those numbers dwindle even more. This is truly devastating. It begs the question, "Is the term tokenism more exacting now than before?"

What has changed? Fifty years have passed, and a miserly 1% of change should answer the crux of the question. Only now has awareness of this systemic issue been seriously identified, caused by the recent social justice upheaval. But how long is this going to last? Black unemployment has historically risen over those 50 years. Even when, in the US, 73% of the White population believe that mainstream culture is strongly Black-influenced, and $1.3 trillion per year is spent by Black consumers, the piece of the pie is severely skewed. There have been sporadic diversity and inclusion initiatives within the design field, to expose and deal with these stigmatic matters, but alas, they quickly run cold, dying out, only to resurface when another distressing event occurs.

What remains the same? The systemic social and economic differences for the Black population within the Western world is abhorrent, let alone in the rest of world. This situation should be considered a disease-a condition that has been an affliction upon the Black population for hundreds of years, that doesn't disappear overnight. Although technology has helped us all to be more informed, when there is a plethora of subject matter connected to design, on a race level, the accessibility to good technology and education has been lacking.
Do you see signs of future change?
It's too early to know whether this is a sign of the industry's tokenism, hollow words, lip service, insincerity-call it what you will . We shall see. One has to be hopeful. Being Black, there is a propensity to retain a sense of hope, but maybe that's what the White population is wishing: keep the hope alive, but never make it to the table. A threaded approach is required. This cannot be a reckless, staccato enterprise-one that only works at a single stage through the life of the Black designer. It requires a strategy that sows itself through and loops back: starting with good knowledge about what design is, what it can do and be for a fledgling Black creative, their parents/guardians, and communities; second, a good education that's not expensive, or at an elite school, that allows them to be taught by Black teachers within a diverse academic setting, and that Black designers are represented in the annals of design history; thirdly, good jobs through to good leadership, by means of excellent mentoring programs, spanning the course of a Black designer's career.

(New York City) is a partner at Pentagram. He earned his BFA at the London College of Printing and MFA at Yale University. He joined Pentagram's New York office as a partner in 2010 and recently authored a book, Color Works . Opara has won numerous awards, and his work is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art. He is a senior critic at the Yale University School of Art and a member of Alliance Graphique Internationale.
What in the article resonated most for you?
Alex Walker's words from 1968 are haunting. He states that "most White designers who eventually become award-winning art directors or make lots of money spent short periods of time in various studios and agencies." In short, the pathway to creating generational wealth is to have a successful "revolving door" career. With each successive jump, the professional designer is able to dramatically alter her salary trajectory, her exposure to new areas of practice, and broaden the reach and potency of her network. The gatekeeper friction working against BIPOC designers has catastrophic implications for the distribution of wealth. The token hires are ultimately self-serving to White employers, but ignore the best interests of their employees.
What has changed?
Today, the requirements to be a viable graphic design practitioner are: a phone, a laptop and access to design software. The world of 1968 required considerably more initial capital to run a successful business-office real estate, promotional stationery and studio equipment.

The internet-as a medium for exposure and discovery of BIPOC design work-represents another great mechanism to help even the playing field. While the client boardroom participants remain strikingly similar to 1968, it is much harder for White practitioners to take credit for the work of BIPOC designers given the transparency and speed of digital networks.

What remains the same? Because graphic design, unlike architecture, lacks a licensing requirement, it is a profession dominated by networking and word-of-mouth referrals, and is thus particularly vulnerable to the compounding effects of "cultural fit." Cultural fit, and its subsequent homogeneity, has become code for hermetically sealed White social contexts: parental networks, undergraduate fraternities and sororities, and art school alumni networks.

Peripheral entities like headhunters often play into these pre-existing cultural norms and represent candidates that have a greater placement potential, resulting in more consistent commissions. Educators are not incentivized to revise Eurocentric pedagogy and tunnel-visioned history due to tenure, elevated stature within the profession, and the successful professional placement of star students that validate the norm.

Do you see signs of future change? Noticeable efforts to decolonize design education-from inspired teachers likeDori Tunstall at OCAD and Ramon Tejada at RISD-are affirming long overdue pedagogical shifts at top-tier programs. Nikole Hannah-Jones, the Pulitzer Prize-winning creator of the landmark 1619 Project, is providing adjacent pressure to reimagine calcified histories.

Though the great volume of BIPOC designers seeking to enter the profession is at once reassuring, it also creates a cascading effect-with a higher influx of potential candidates, employers are now doubling-down on premier art schools as a trusted filtering mechanism, further intensifying the exclusionary effect of top-tier access. The inertia of tokenism remains unbraked, as optical diversity is much more palatable than a sincere systemic overhaul.
(New York City) is a Global Principal at Wolff Olins and an MFA Critic at Yale School of Art. His work has been exhibited at the MoMA, the Royal Ontario Museum and Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. He earned a BS in Human Development and Fine Arts from Cornell University and an MFA from Yale, where he was awarded the Mark Whistler Prize. His recent projects include
What in the article resonated most for you? It's as if time, perception and attitudes have changed very little in 52 years. 1968 promised access, equality, inclusion, diversity and a shift in how we live and relate as Americans. This year, 2020, opened with a reckoning of a stasis in the process for "progress." The climate, as reported then and now, is only slightly warmer in temperature. Certainly, there have been some changes that allow for someone like me to express my informed opinions. Then and now, design is still dependent on inflexible corporate, cultural and institutional environments. Dorothy Jackson's article uncovers familiar observations I explore with students, colleagues and administrators. What particularly resonates with me is that inexplicably, "The more things change, the more they stay the same." Perhaps the 19th-century critic Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr had a clear insight into the 20th and 21st centuries.

1968 was a year of upheaval and a referendum on change and progress. Then, young adults captured the imagination of the world and articulated real change-accountability for all Americans. Graphic design was still a nascent profession in dire need of definition. In 2020, tools of the profession have been revolutionized. Academic institutions must be more inclusive. Instructors and curricula are in transition. The relevant histories in journals, books, films and archives must account for diversity and inclusion. Recently, the AIGA announced the appointment of Bennie F. Johnson as executive director. That move also signals a continuum of change.

What could happen if the College Art Association (CAA) and AIGA shared joint activities for mutual benefit? The organizations share similar evolutions and aspirations. What could happen if these two organizations collectively addressed diversity, equity, inclusion, ethics in the workplace and the marketplace? Better still, what could it mean if the AIGA, CAA, the Society for Environmental Graphic Design (SEGD) and the American Institute of Architects worked to address issues and aspirations as cross-disciplinary organizations? These silos must overlap to work on the many vexing issues that have existed since their respective formations in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Do you see signs of future change? Access to good design must be a fundamental and universal right. Design must be a valued and relevant agent in a changing world. The evolving events in the first half of 2020 could signify a better future if we adopt the following:

1. Foster a growing population of diverse, culturally competent, justly compensated, resilient and knowledge-based design professionals.

2. Redefine perceptions of the design profession by broadly disseminating effective models of education, ethics, collaboration, entrepreneurship and philanthropy.

3. Substantiate the critical role communication designers play in collaboration with allied disciplines in advancing solutions that directly impact cultural, social, economic and environmental challenges. In the article, Jackson presciently notes, "Design is a functional entity. There is no such thing as 'Black design,' only design by a Black person. The problem for everyone is to get more Black people into positions where they can make their own unique contribution as designers."

What in the article resonated most for you?
I shuddered with recognition at William Wacasey's story of being mistaken for a messenger. I had a similar experience back in the mid-1980s as a young designer at The Boston Globe, and was rendered speechless at the front desk of the company I'd worked for for at least a year at the time. The article brought up a host of feelings, of course, but it jogged my memory about one of my first truly eye-rolling professional experiences (or SMH as the kids say).

What has changed? What remains the same? Do people still make assumptions or ask my opinion because, "Well, you know ..."? Yes, they do, and I've learned to roll with it, like most BIPOC. I take a deep breath and hope that I've helped to move things forward just a little for the next generation, and that they'll do the same for the one that follows. The current climate is simultaneously horrifying and inspiring because there's a glimmer of hope for real change at such a divisive moment in history.

Do you see signs of future change? Right now, there's a lot of anger in the industry, but with that comes awareness followed by change. There are people who realize they've had their head in the sand for too long, and who are choosing to examine the way they do business. I do see change on the horizon, but it has to be more than a Band-Aid, or people will move on to whatever social media demands. Our ongoing battle is so much more than that-so much more than a black box on Instagram or an angry tweet (or even one of solidarity). I have faith that our industry will rise to the occasion and become even stronger and better. But lasting change takes time, and I hope we can all remain focused on the difficult and sometimes painful examination and efforts involved.

(New York City) is a designer, educator and writer. She is Chair of BFA Design and BFA Advertising at the School of Visual Arts, and the creative director at Visual Arts Press. Anderson has served as senior art director at Rolling Stone and creative director of design at SpotCo. She has taught at SVA for close to 30 years and has co-authored 15 books. Anderson serves on the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee for the US Postal Service. She is an AIGA Medalist and the 2018 recipient of the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Lifetime Achievement Award for Design. Her work is represented in the permanent collections of many museums.
What in the article resonated most for you?
The ratio factor of Black visibility within most design workspaces at most institutions across the world remains high. Lack of diversity serves not only as a discouraging optic; it hinders a work environment of emotional security, something which is essential to creative freedom.

What has changed? The awareness of those who broke through "the glass ceiling" brings hope. There is now an axiom that, with proper training and mentorship, Black creatives can forge paths and possibly surpass expectations. The system of impediments is now commonly understood, and it has engendered a willingness to fight and educate, to navigate and overcome.

Manifest possibilities fostered by LBJ's "Great Society," and brought about by the forces of the movement-King, Rustin, Malcolm, Angelou, Angela (Davis), Ali, Ellington, Miles and untold soldiers just out of sight-gave Black folk from my generation the temerity to believe.

In 1999, three decades after the article, I was hired to chair the Illustration program at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit. At the time I was the only Black art professional in the country to lead an illustration department in an ACAD college. As with Bill Howell, I understood the optics of a Black creative soul in a position of authority, perceived or real, who gets to pass those tokens for others to ride the train. Any opportunity to pay forward as an advocate and mentor is vital in advancing change in our social system.

What remains the same? The ratio of Black to White in positions of power has barely changed. From the time I started college in 1976, to the completion of my BFA and MFA degrees in 1986, the ratio of Blacks to Whites (from the classroom to the boardroom) remained one to 20. Representation has an immediate impact when one walks into the room. The sense of possibilities based on the mix we see-or do not-instills a first impression that will catapult a soul to the next levels up or reinforce the limiting norm!

Do you see signs of future change? Handheld devices spread information to the masses! We are witnessing the power of tech to communicate to a sophisticated audience that never before existed. And yes! The revolution is now televised!

Like the voices we find on the internet, in film and in comics, the design world requires a diversity of creatives to represent this global community, to shed light on the historic mechanizations "hidden in plain sight" that perpetuate the notion that the color of flesh is pink.

We require a plurality of taste and style to tell our stories and swing the pendulum in favor of the long arc of the universe as it bends towards justice.

(Detroit) is an illustrator and educator. He illustrated the popular children's book Rosa Parks by Eloise Greenfield, which became a part of his vision to create and publish affirming images of African Americans. Ashby served as chair the Illustration program at the College for Creative Studies (CCS) in Detroit, culminating with a Distinguished Educators Award from the Society of Illustrators. For the last 20 years, he has been teaching illustration at CCS. He earned his BFA/MFA in Visual Journalism and Illustration from the School of Visual Arts.

What in the article resonated most for you? All of it. I felt like I was reading an article that could've been written in 2020. Having spent the past 10 years teaching design students at an HBCU [Historically Black College or University], I've gained a lot of perspective that I feel some "top-tier" schools miss when it comes to the amplification and empowerment of Black students. I'm directly connected to the future of design the moment a student declares their major. I often tell my students that advertising is more than just designing a useful product, but how can that product or system shift the culture that often appropriates or oppresses Black futures?

The article touches on training programs for young Black designers and their direct personal involvement when it states, "A number of talented Black designers are directing their creative energies toward the Black community itself in an effort to communicate the Black ethnic heritage as a specific cultural entity," and as Bill Howell said, "Total design freedom permits me to meet some great people." This is where I have seen a lot of young Black designers thrive, as it's real, raw and authentic to the community they are asked to serve.

I was happy to read about the radical Black community of the 1960s. For instance, the reference to the WEUSI design collective was beautiful. And Harlem's first outdoor art exhibit is reminiscent of many programs that HBCUs and the Black community organize to amplify their community. I respect the work of Antionette Carroll and Creative Reaction Lab for this reason; the Black community and Black futures are at the forefront of their work and practice. As my disabled writer and friend Alice Wong says, "Culture Work is Political Work," and I continue to see this reflected in what young Black designers of my generation are already doing! Hadiya Williams does this with sculptural forms; Jermaine T. Bell does this with collage and digital illustration; Dian Holton does this with art direction; Maurice Cherry does this with Revision Path; Kojo Boeteng does this with preserving cultural communities; Andrea Pippins does this with illustration and visual narratives; and Denise Shante Brown does this by challenging the way Black womxn can design systems of transformation and restoration.

What has changed? At Bowie State we like to think of our students as visual cultural producers. This is evident when the majority of my BIPOC students' senior thesis projects examine the topic of equitable cultural representation in advertising. Many of my students think very editorially, and they are amped to curate their own content when given the opportunity. The article states, "Black people are an integral part of the American social and economic scene-on all levels." We see this in 2020, in a class of 15-20 students, when about five of them have already started their own YouTube channels covering various narratives on race and culture. They are already owning their content in dynamic ways. To me, that's a valid way of encouraging them to learn more about their craft. Their stories should continue to evolve throughout their design education. It's my role to hold space for that. I've seen grad students from other art programs use their education as their opportunity to reclaim and define their personal narrative.

What remains the same? The article also states, "The advertising industry is geared almost exclusively to White attitudes and standards, White concepts of beauty, White modes of fashion. ... Black designers ... must push for a positive view of Blacks in advertising, as well as for their appearance in advertising in proportion to their buying power." This continues to be true as students grow more and more interested in exploring Black topics, such as the celebration of melanin, in their thesis work.

Since the article touches on mentorship and the lack of mentorship, I feel it's my direct duty to make sure the student feels seen and heard the minute they step into the classroom. As a BIPOC educator, my mission and role continues to be refined when the student comes into our program unaware of their Black design predecessors. That's my opportunity to keep Black design history breathing.

Do you see signs of future change? As far as I'm concerned, BIPOC hold the keys to their own futures and culture preservation. But it's also important that corporations, especially cultural entertainment spaces, see Black perspectives and talent as valuable and comparable to their non-Black creatives. I won't be satisfied until I see top entertainment and design firms come and do exclusive workshops with our students, and not just design challenges. And I'm not relying on non-Black institutions to do that for us. We are the ultimate conservators of our past, present and future. I love whatAri Melenciano has been doing for the past few years developing The School of Aftotectopia. Kai Frazier is also amazing in the way she makes VR tech accessible to kids in underserved communities, redefining access to spaces that are often inaccessible.

What in the article resonated most for you? The idea that we have to deny our Blackness to operate successfully in the design world is something that really resonated with me. I've written about my experiences and the experiences of my students (mostly Black, attending an HBCU) feeling pressure to accommodate White culture in order to be successful. Those accommodations are sometimes made in the way we physically present ourselves (always being conscious of how we are being perceived), as well as in the design choices we make (designing to please Eurocentric standards).

What has changed? I think that there's better understanding now of the ways in which systems have worked against the advancement of Black people as a whole, including in the design industry. So, I would say that we see with a wider lens now that the responsibility of elevating Black designers doesn't have to fall on the shoulders of other Black people in the industry. Organizations, agencies and educational institutions that have the power to change systemic issues are really beginning to be held accountable for their contribution in this area.
What remains the same?
I think it's still very difficult to find design professionals who look like me. Before teaching, when I worked as an art director and designer, I'd never worked alongside another Black female designer (outside of volunteer activities). When my students visit design studios and agencies, I've rarely seen more than one to three Black designers.
Do you see signs of future change?
I think people are finally listening with the intent to learn. I've personally engaged in lots of meaningful dialogue recently and participated on some panel discussions with industry leaders who seem to genuinely want to make positive change. As an educator, I've seen substantial moves toward creating more inclusive learning materials, with efforts to decentralize European influences (International Typographic Style, Bauhaus, etc.) and include more focus on underrepresented cultural groups. These shifts in design education will undoubtedly impact the attitudes of the next generation of designers in positive ways.
What in the article resonated most for you?
Every time a Black designer gets a good creative job, his presence and talent serves to open the field further for other Blacks-provided the established designer is willing to share his experience with talented but uninformed Black youth, as well as with Black designers on their way up (as we have seen, this willingness to share is not always forthcoming).

This quote resonates with me deeply. While there are countless examples of Black designers being denied opportunity by predominantly White institutions, we don't often discuss the ways Black designers uphold White supremacist behavior or become gatekeepers once they do make it to the top. I think there is a powerful opportunity when one achieves that level of access or status, that they are able to become mentors or advocates for emerging Black designers. Being willing to check your ego at the door is necessary when you are mentoring someone. I've benefited from mentors that have been forthcoming, honest and direct about their experiences, and I value the guidance they provided when I was uncertain about the field. The role we play in someone's growth can have a lasting impact, and one that can directly influence whether one decides to stay in this field or choose a different industry altogether.
What has changed?
I think one of the major aspects that has changed is an understanding of what "graphic design" means in today's context. At the time that Dorothy's article was published, advertising and commercial design seemed to be the major focus of where Black designers were headed. As the field fragments into multiple sub-disciplines, new pathways are expanding a Black designer's opportunities. This is exciting, because it means we are able to pick and choose from a wider array of design disciplines. Today, there are design researchers, design thought leaders, design academics, design practitioners (digital or print), design activists, design historians. We need Black designers in all of these areas. Design practice is more expansive than ever before, and it is critical that we have a variety of Black designers that are making, writing, documenting and archiving the work of Black designers to expand our historical canon. To me, that is what's most exciting right now-seeing the canon expand to include multiple histories even while the canon itself is questioned by design educators and practitioners.

What remains the same? Dorothy describes many of the issues Black designers still face today, from being tokenized, encountering differences in pay (racial and gender inequities) and disparities in design education, to proximity to industry contacts and networks. Alex Walker:

Unusually long periods of employment at one job tend to hamper one's creative processes. Most white designers who eventually become award-winning art directors or make lots of money spent short periods of time in various studios and agencies. With each move, their knowledge, contacts and usually their incomes increased. This is one modus operandi that has left the Black designer in the dust ...

I was considering how this could apply in today's context. While I agree that having exposure to different facets of the industry can give you a greater range of expertise and value, I believe there are a number of factors (student loans, rent, utilities, health insurance, etc.) that keep Black designers employed in one job for a long time. One of the biggest challenges is the difficulty that comes when leaving a stable job. The disruption to one's financial or emotional stability is a huge risk. I think this is something that has remained the same in some ways. It is uncertain how a new environment is going to be, how welcoming a new design studio is going to be, and whether you make less money overall.

Do you see signs of future change? I am hopeful for design programs that begin to merge larger critical discussions around race and racism into the classroom. In my own classes, I am invested in interrogating the ways of making that contribute to perpetuating systems of oppression. This can't, nor should it, fall solely on Black design educators; the next generation of design educators should constantly be questioning what work is of importance and expanding the design canon. New teaching methods are folding in discussions around race, design and equity. The future of design education is dependent on educators who understand the vital nature of sharing ideas, histories and beliefs of BIPOC people. Alongside this, we need Black designers who are willing to share their path of success, and become mentors when they arrive in change-making positions.

Kelly Walters (New York City) is an Assistant Professor of Communication Design and Associate Director of the BFA Communication Design Program at Parsons School of Design. She is founder of , an interdisciplinary design practice, which focuses on print, digital, exhibition and textile design. Her research investigates how socio-political frameworks and shifting technology influence the sounds, symbols and styles of black cultural vernacular in mainstream media. Her forthcoming book, Black, Brown + Latinx Design Educators , will be published by Princeton Architectural Press in early 2021.

What in the article resonated most for you? Near the end of Dorothy's piece, she says that their chances for achieving a career in this field are considerably better than they were a few years ago (in the mid 1960s). It's heartening to know that the push for change in this industry has been going on for at least 50 years, but then again, here we are in 2020 talking about the issue because it's still present! That is wild to me.

What has changed? Technology has created new entry points for Black designers to gain experience in this industry outside the path of attending art school. This helps with bypassing negative experiences from design educators and grossly Eurocentric curricula at top design schools that could dissuade Black designers from continuing. However, because design and technology these days are so intertwined, that has led to dozens of different disciplines of design which didn't exist a decade ago (let alone during the time of Dorothy's article). There's more that you can do with design knowledge now, and that's changing at a rapid pace.

What remains the same? Early on in the article, there's a description about how Black designers encounter embarrassing and humiliating situations while just trying to find work. It seems this is a shared experience, whether you're self-taught or you go to one of the top art schools in the country. I can tell you this from the hundreds of designers I've interviewed over the years, as well as from personal experience. I started my studio in 2008 largely because finding work was so difficult; and even when I ran my studio, I would generally end up with the same leads that William Wacasey described in the article: "the smaller jobs or those with practically no budget." Even worse, when I did start looking for full-time employment in 2017, the work that I did with my studio ended up being dismissed and overlooked by companies and recruiters, because I wasn't working for an agency or a larger company. You're damned if you do, and you're damned if you don't.
Do you see signs of future change?
That's a good question, but you're asking the wrong person. Ask the White agency owners and design educators and tech CEOs if they see signs of future change, because it's going to be up to them to cede their power, positions and pocketbooks to make this happen. Black designers have showed up and showed out in each facet of the design industry in the midst of everything mentioned in this article for decades. The amount of excellence we have achieved in spite of this adversity has given us a superpower that is undeniable. And yet, we still encounter these same roadblocks mentioned in this article and more. It's chilling how much of what Dorothy wrote about over 50 years ago still rings true today.
(Atlanta) is principal and creative director at , an award-winning multidisciplinary creative studio. Maurice is well-known for his podcast , which showcases Black designers, developers and digital creators from all over the world. His other projects include the and the design anthology . Maurice is the 2018 recipient of the Steven Heller Prize for Cultural Commentary from AIGA, was named as one of Do you see signs of future change? GDUSA's "People to Watch" in 2018, and was included in the 2018 edition of (Richmond, CA) is the Executive Director and Founder of the Inneract Project, a nonprofit that empowers Black and Brown youth through design education and links them to opportunities to explore design in career and in life. As a professional designer, his work experience spans over 15 years across advertising, a design agency, and startup and large tech companies such as BSSP, Pentagram Design and Yahoo. Maurice is a Principal Designer at Microsoft, and before entering design, played professional basketball in Europe and Asia for seven seasons. In 2006, he wrote a series of essays called " Envisioning Blackness in American Graphic Design" In 2016, he received the AIGA San Francisco Fellow Award.
What in the article resonated most for you? For me, a lot of what is being said here I can relate to. What resonates the most is the importance of Black design leaders' involvement in supporting young designers or those coming up in the industry. I've benefited from having a Black design mentor, , who had his own design business and worked on projects that I related to. This helped me tremendously. I can say that without his presence early in my college years, I might not be where I am today.

Another point that this article brings to bear is the broader context around Black representation in creative fields as a foundation for design to properly serve humanity. Having Black people represented goes a long way towards creating an equitable future where visual and spoken narratives push for a positive view of Black lives in the eyes of American culture.

What has changed? For design: Consumers have come to appreciate, and therefore expect "good" design. This is not just the visual, but the total experience as well. Design can't just be about communicating an idea; it must captivate, entertain or provide real solutions to problems to be worth consuming or paying for. Technology has also changed the way we design things, too. There are many more channels from which consumers can ingest content, which brings a new level of opportunities and challenges for designers to solve. Last, the consumer has a louder voice. People can voice their collective disappointment and that can result in changing how a product or service is designed or business is done.

For Blacks: Black purchasing power has increased from $4.32 billion in 1968 to roughly $1.3 trillion as of 2018-almost a 300% increase! As Blacks spend more they are also looking at the companies they support. The design community's responsibility in addressing the Black market is critical not only when it comes to hiring designers of color, but when it comes to understanding the needs and wants of the "new majority" market that is inevitably growing in America.

What remains the same? The institution of inclusion and inequality has not changed much. Mostly because the institutions for which the industry was built have been dominated by White males. The culture (most leadership is White), policies and barriers to entry mostly support Whites. Big companies generally look for designers from top design schools, whilenational stats show that Blacks are not going to the "top tier" schools, but rather to smaller colleges that don't have the resources elite schools have.

There is, of course, racism that exists in the workplace, but for the most part, I have found that non-Black and Brown folks I know do care about equality and inclusion. But they either don't know what to do or don't feel it is their responsibility to spend the kind of resources toward making the industry more equitable for all people.

To clarify, the "broader awareness" has simply woken White America up to what Black and Brown people have experienced for years. As a Black man in the design industry for over 20 years, racism is often a nuanced comment made, a way of behaving around people or dealing with the "cost of doing business." As we look at the tides of race and the "new majority" in this country, I see some potential for change which may eventually force corporations to change-this would have a rippling effect on the design industry. If you look at the marches and support for Black Lives Matter, this also gives me hope that we might be able to stand together, across races, to affect systemic changes. However, the road is long, and the power imbalance is still rooted deep within the hands of Whites. Even though Black buying power has rapidly increased over the years, they are small in comparison to White buying power in this country, which is almost 800% more than the highest minority buying group, Hispanic. My point is, seeing signs of change can be deceptive if we don't trace the roots of power. Those with the money control the industry. It's like trying to win a 400-meter race when one of the contestants has a 300-meter head start-we may finish our race with a better speed, but it will be hard to compete unless we close the advantage gap.
(New York City) has been practicing and researching design for over 30 years, and frequently speaks about the confluence of design and African American history. She holds master's degrees in Design Criticism (SVA) and Communications Design (Pratt); she teaches Graduate Exhibition and Experience Design at the Fashion Institute of Technology; she is a Columbia University Scholar Fellow; and she serves on the Architecture and Design Advisory Group for the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Michele co-curated "Visual Perceptions: 21 African American Designers Challenge Modern Stereotypes," and her work was featured in " Design Journeys: You Are Here" and appeared in Women Designers in the USA: 1900-2000."
I see and appreciate the efforts some people and companies are making to bring more Black and Brown designers to their company, but a shift in our industry goes beyond increasing diversity; it also goes beyond admitting that there is a problem. To combat racism in the industry, we should be looking at the entire life cycles of Black and Brown people-specifically the effects of many years of social, economic and psychological oppression; discriminatory laws and policies; underfunded education programs; and lack of opportunities. These are systemic barriers that affect one's ability to develop critical and creative skills and get the right exposure to take advantage of a career opportunity.

I'm elated to be amongst a stellar group of designers responding to this article. Some are longtime friends I've met along my journey; others are familiar names whose work I've followed; and a few are new to me. I'm proud be included with these visionaries.

Reading the article brought to mind a recent between author Jason Reynolds and Krista Tippet, host of On Being. Jason shared a saying from Senegal, "When an elder dies, a library burns down." For me, this saying resonates with my mission and passion for preserving our history as Black designers in the canons of not just design history, but American history in general.
(Philadelphia) has over 30 years of experience as a designer and educator. He has a BFA in Graphic Design and an MA in Urban Studies, and has taught Social Sciences and Marketing at Eastern University and Temple University. In June 2020, he published a widely acclaimed " What in the article resonated most for you? Open Letter to the White Graphic Design Community
For years, I would hear from young students, "I didn't know these designers were Black!" Or, students would question whether there were any Black designers who made major contributions to design, as was the case with Tracey Sewell who was told by her professor to not interview me at the Design Educators conference where I was presenting, because "Black designers had not made any major contributions to the field of design." These interactions sent me on a path of furthering my research, lecturing and exhibition curation. I'm also working on digitizing my old taped interviews of Black designers, including John Morning, Georg Olden's conversation at the Art Directors Club, Reynold Ruffins, and Dorothy Hayes, who is featured in this 1968 article. Other taped interviews include Cheryl D. Miller, Sylvia Harris, Tom Wirth talking about Richard Bruce Nugent, and art historian Leslie King-Hammond. One person I interviewed told a story very similar to Bill Howell's. He said he could get work, but he'd have to go in later in the day and the work would be handed to him so the client would never know he was Black.

Today, the visibility of Black designers is hampered by the lack of attention paid to graduates of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. These designers are often unseen by the profession. They may not be members of the AIGA, and thus not part of their census, and not part of the conversation.
Do you see signs of future change?
In considering Black participation it's also important to remember that attending conferences is costly. This is why the Organization of Black Designers (OBD) was formed in 1990. Their conference, initially organized by David Rice, Fo Wilson, Sylvia Harris, myself and others, brings together people who work in all areas of design-not just graphic design, but product design, interior design, fashion and architecture. Harvard's "Black In Design" conference offers similar opportunities. This networking between disciplines in an environment dedicated to Black designers is an important way for them to be part of a broader professional community.
(Inglewood, CA) recently founded her studio Firebrand after working in startups and agencies, and several years of freelancing. In June 2020, she wrote the timely and lauded essay, " Black Lives Matter is Not a Design Challenge" and spoke at on how studios can move away from performative allyship toward long-term change. She earned a BFA with focuses in Design & Drawing at the University of Southern California.
Before our three pandemics, several art/design schools across the country have begun restructuring their programs across disciplines. Some of these include: Arizona State University, Columbia College, OCAD and Ramon Tejada at RISD. In 2011, Coco Fusco and Yvonne Watson organized Black Studies in Art and Design Education, calling for Black studies offerings throughout Parsons at The New School. At the conference, Fusco had this to say, which is relevant today with restructuring design programs:

The artists, designers, and scholars we have brought together for this conference share a commitment to finding ways of making Black Studies part of every student's education. Parsons is uniquely poised to address these matters, due to its location in a university with a longstanding commitment to social justice and in a city with one of the largest urban Black populations in the country.

Right now, I'm privy to several letters sent by black students and faculty from major institutions, all demanding changes. These letters have brought me tears, and made me proud of those who stand up and take a bold stance demanding systemic changes from the top down, to faculty, curriculum, research and more.

We need to reexamine professional organizations that, in many ways, are still holding onto the past. We need to offer more ways to mentor our Black and Brown students during school and after they graduate. And we need to introduce our work to more archives, researchers, and exhibitions that travel globally. Examples of this last effort in action:

What in the article resonated most for you? It confirms that this issue of Black designers being denied opportunities is not new. I am not surprised at all considering that the Voting Rights Act was passed just three years before this article was written. The cold reception received in art school from Black design students is still a common one. I wrote about my experience in my "Open Letter to the White Graphic Design Community. " I could not always figure out if my professors were afraid of me, simply thought I had no talent, or both. What is definitely true is that when you are Black in an unsupportive learning environment, graduate, and enter the professional world, you develop a resilience that can be seen in the Black designers in this article. But, unfortunately, some Black professionals leave the field entirely.
This feature was co-produced with Letterform Archive

Cheryl D. Miller, "Black Designers: Missing in Action",

Maurice Cherry, Revision Path podcast - weekly interviews with Black designers, developers, and digital creatives, 2013-

Cheryl D. Holmes-Miller, "Black Designers: Still Missing in Action?",

, a nonprofit center for inspiration, education and community that is actively collecting, preserving and sharing the work of Black designers.
What has changed? I believe there are more opportunities for Black designers as the field has diversified. Also, with a heavy reliance on affordable technology (computers, software and the internet), many more can buy the equipment, educate themselves on YouTube and enter the field. But the results are uneven because every newly created position may not be able to provide a living wage. Without a direct pathway into a focused design career, Black designers diversify their skills. This gives birth to Black Excellence. This means in spite of being denied, Black designers continue to develop themselves and end up with additional skills and abilities.

What remains the same? Black designers still don't experience the kind of mentorship that would give them the opportunity to be noticed by premier design firms/agencies and place them in contact with the design elite. Michael Bierut talks about the importance of working for and being mentored by the late Massimo Vignelli. The late Milton Glaser studied under Giorgio Morandi in Italy. Very few Black designers I have met have been mentored professionally by visible, respected designers and artists, because they don't hire us. Mentorship is important to build knowledge (business, client relations, design, etc.) and provide learning opportunities. Many Black designers have honed their talents by being mentored by professionals outside the design field and/or tapping into the deep wells of African American culture.

In spite of this resilience, we still remain invisible. It is telling that the AIGA has given posthumous awards to Black designers but cannot seem to figure out where the living Black designers are. This is one of the reasons why Black designers have started their own Facebook groups, such as the African American Graphic Designers and Black Designers United.

Do you see signs of future change? No. I see White-owned companies making statements about Black Lives Matter, but I question whether they are extending their internal diversity and inclusion policies toward the design firms and marketing agencies they hire. It would be great if industries would follow the model of U.S. cities by demanding a certain percentage of minority representation from their subcontractors. I also haven't heard any art schools making any serious commitments to diversity beyond their usual tokenism and "we must do better" platitudes.

Where I do have hope is when designers like Cheryl Miller share little-known information about Black designers that none of the art schools and design history books talk about. I hope for a future where young Black designers see themselves in design history.

The beginning of the article posits that there are many reasons that there are so few Black designers that have to do with training or discrimination. But it's also that the narrow way design is defined, and who is lauded as canon, doesn't allow us to see ourselves; to see that our communities have been using design skills for ages. Working within constraints and small budgets, solving complex problems and figuring out just how much of ourselves we can bring to work (through clothes, hair, code-switching) are all design skills that don't get credited as work that we do on top of our jobs. My mother was the first designer I ever knew. But we didn't call it design; we called it hustling.

What has changed? Well, we've got 1% more Black designers in just 40 years! Wooo! ... What does seem to have changed (from my experience) is that experienced designers are so ready right now to provide mentorship and resources to emerging Black designers in the industry. Now is a great time to reach out to potential mentors and to start building a rapport (and realize that you don't need just one perfect mentor to cover everything you're interested in)!

What remains the same? We're still seeing Black designers going out on their own sooner than their White counterparts-whether freelancing or starting their own studios. The shift to working for myself full time happened in part because I wanted more freedom to explore and define my own aesthetic, getting out from under the biases of "good" design, which are largely founded in the (70-year-old!) Swiss style and ideas of minimalism. I also wanted to cultivate a new work culture for myself-one that wasn't paternalistic and stifling, but allowed for more free association in my creativity. I'm defining my role on a weekly basis. Rather than being just a designer, my work orbits around several themes (equity and sustainability, participatory design, introspection). I also get to be a writer, illustrator, teacher and futurist-that freedom is something that appeals to multi-hyphenate Black designers who go out on their own.

The industry has to change. I can't give you a timeline for when that will be, but I'm seeing young folks in the industry who are so ready for new ways of working-and they didn't have to be here that long to see that something is deeply wrong with the way we work. Simply hiring more Black designers and bringing them into the existing corporate culture isn't going to turn our studios into magical utopias. We need a complete system redesign in the ways we experience work and think about creativity. The physical infrastructures (lack of accessibility), policies (racist rules for "professionalism") and work cultures (toxic productivity) of our agencies and studios remain White/cis-male centered. What would it look like to redesign a work experience and economic system to optimize for a Black+queer+disabled worker? When we focus on seeing and meeting the needs of the most systemically oppressed, all of us will be better off.

What in the article resonated most for you? Much of the article resonated with me, but in particular, Dorothy Hayes and Bill Howell spoke about the personal responsibility that many Black designers feel to push for a positive view of Blacks in design-and the conundrum that there are so few of us that it's difficult to make any meaningful impact. Many Black graphic designers, myself included, feel this way as well. The late designerSylvia Harris believed that only an increase in the numbers of Black designers doing this type of work could affect real and meaningful change.

What has changed? Not much at all. The article could be written today and feel pertinent (separate of the technology).

What remains the same? It's sad to see how little progress Blacks have made in the graphic design field. In over 50 years the needle has barely moved.

The article addressed issues around the inadequate design education most Black students receive. As a design educator, I've observed this many times in the case of Black students with White teachers. White instructors often lack the knowledge, language, history and cultural understanding to constructively critique and help develop the skills and visual language of their Black students. Oftentimes during student reviews-as a direct result of poor teaching and guidance by their non-Black instructors-the work of these Black students are the least actualized compared to their non-Black classmates.

Professionally, issues around tokenism in the workplace and the lack of professional networks/connections still resonate today. The article did touch on the professional Black organization GAP (Group for Advertising Progress). Today there are more organizations and social media groups with similar mission statements.

The advertising industry hasn't evolved much either. It was interesting to read that advertising in 1968 was "geared almost exclusively to White attitudes and standards, White concepts of beauty, White modes of fashion. Black mannequins and models and flesh-colored skin tones in shades of brown instead of shades of pink are rarely seen in an ad campaign ... unless, it is for a predominantly Black market-or when the ad relates to jazz or other 'Black' music."

Do you see signs of future change? I'm usually a pessimist when the topics of "the future" and "change" come up-so no, not really. Since the murder of George Floyd, I've seen countless corporate commercials and advertising from companies that have pledged to fight systemic racism and promise to change their corporate and racial culture going forward. A good friend of mine calls this spectacle the "brandwagon"-when companies slap the BLM logo/philosophy onto their corporate press releases and branding. Design schools have also issued statements in which they promise to dismantle system racism and support their Black students.

I've participated in the graphic design industry and education as they've addressed issues of diversity for over 30 years, and every initiative I've seen and/or been a part of fell short, or never materialized. I've said for a long time that if design schools really felt diversity was as important as maintaining and updating their computer labs, there wouldn't be a problem.

More about the Black Experience in Graphic Design

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The Black Experience in Graphic Design: 1968 and 2020

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Just over 50 years ago, at the apex of the Civil Rights Movement in the U.S., Dorothy Jackson interviewed five Black designers about "the frustrations and opportunities in a field where 'flesh-colored' means pink" for PRINT.

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In early 2018, a designer posted on Facebook that only around one-third of the speakers at Brno's International Biennial of Graphic Design were women, sparking a lengthy discussion thread. The Brno Biennial is considered one of the most prestigious graphic design events in Europe, and the lack of gender inclusivity among its speakers riled the design community. Soon after, the speaker lineup was announced for Germany's CXI Brand Talks, the largest corporate and brand identity conference on the continent, and zero women made the cut. If women didn't have a place onstage at either the most conceptually-driven design event in Europe or the most corporate one, where did they?

When a conference organizer gives a designer the opportunity to speak on stage, it's a statement that their perspective is of value to the design community. If the majority of those given the stage are men, the implicit suggestion is that the most valuable perspective is that of a man's.

To what extent do men currently outweigh women at industry events? In order to investigate the gender breakdown of conference speakers, our associate editor Madeleine Morley teamed up with Lea Sievertsen, Silva Baum, and Claudia Scheer of notamuse, a German platform that profiles women in contemporary graphic design. Our goal has been to evaluate which conferences are worth supporting, and which must do better when it comes to gender inclusivity.

For the purpose of our research, we counted speaker lineups; we did not include workshop and lab leaders, jury members, or exhibitors, so that our search could be applied across various types of conferences (which often differ in activities). We selected a list of 30 visual communication and graphic design conferences in order to present a broad overview of the landscape. This is not an exhaustive list; rather, it's intended as a sample. We chose our list based on the following criteria:

1. Conferences that we've attended or covered on Eye on Design and that we believe our readership would attend.

2. Large-scale conferences that are deemed important industry events.

3. A list that presents a global overview, reflecting our goal of global coverage.

The conferences that we've looked at took place between winter 2017 and winter 2018. The largest conferences had over 210 speakers, and the smallest 10. As with any data set, this one is not perfect. To calculate our percentages, we counted the people listed on conference speaker pages or schedules. To determine each speaker's gender, we went by the pronouns provided in the speaker bios, in the press releases, on professional websites, in online articles about the speaker in question, or we emailed conferences for more extensive data. Notably, our results have no gender non-conforming category, as the conference sites and speaker bios were absent of language identifying gender non-conforming speakers. (If you have spoken at one of these conferences and do identify as gender non-conforming, please email us at submit@aiga.org and we will immediately correct the data.) Despite a small team and modest budget, every effort was made to obtain accurate data. The lack of gender non-conforming speakers demonstrates that our industry is also lacking in perspectives outside the gender binary.

We define as a woman anyone who identifies herself as a woman. Our count is trans-inclusive. This has been done with the understanding that many experience oppression that affects their experience of and access to privilege, including career opportunities and public recognition.

Gender inclusivity isn't the only issue when it comes to lineups: The design industry must be more inclusive of racial and ethnic minorities too, as well as other underrepresented groups (including those underrepresented when it comes to age, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and physical ability). As conferences as a whole do not survey their speakers in order to determine identity, we found the current data pool too limited to provide an exact breakdown of underrepresented groups at each conference. An ideal investigation would send surveys to each individual speaker to gather this information. (In 2019, we plan to dig more deeply into the gender breakdown of conferences, and to also ascertain the breakdown of underrepresented groups.)

When it comes to diversity and inclusion, it's not enough for organizers to say that they tried their hardest. There is simply no excuse for inclusion apologetics. In 2019, we urge designers to turn down invitations to conferences that do not demonstrate inclusive politics. We urge you to put community before self-promotion, and to encourage your colleagues to do the same. Explain to organizers why you are rejecting their offer. Demand better.

Conference organizers have a unique platform with the power to literally set the stage for what truly inclusive conversations should look like. At the end of this article, we've included a list of tips and tools for organizers looking to diversify their speaker list.

The PR rhetoric for many of the least inclusive conferences does not reflect their reality. OFFF Barcelona, for example, describes itself as "innovative and international," yet with only one-quarter women speakers, its gender politics are far from innovative. Most of its lineup is European or American, so its claim of internationalism is limited as well. Its lineup also includes very few POC. Brno Biennial's talk series promises "leading graphic design professionals"-so the fact that it chose to profile only 34.8% women suggests the industry's "leaders" are predominantly men.

Our investigation found that, on average, U.S. conferences had a gender breakdown of 54.6% women, whereas in Europe the average was 35.7%.

Across all the speakers, when looking at how many spoke on stage alone rather than with partners or in groups, 36% were women and 64% were men. We found that men are more often given a stage independently, whereas women are more likely to speak on stage in pairs or in groups that include men as well as other women.

As well as charting the gender breakdown of each conference lineup, we calculated the time-on-stage of women and men. This shows how much time speakers were actually allocated. If a studio of two was on stage for one hour, for example, we allocated 30 minutes to each speaker. We calculated time-on-stage to emphasize that it is not simply an inclusive lineup that is vital, but also the time that's allocated to each person.

Counting time-on-stage often altered our findings. For example, the Brno Biennial's talks, which had 34.8% women on its lineup, had women on stage for only 22% of the time. This means that men had roughly 78% more time speaking than women. The Weltformat Festival Symposium, which had 50% women, dropped to 40% when accounting for time-on-stage for women; similarly, Graphic Design Festival Scotland's TopForm dropped from 50% women to 41.7% time-on-stage for women. AGI Open also dropped from 37.5% women speakers to 30.1% time-on-stage. While a lineup may appear equal in regards to a speaker list, this does not necessarily equate with the time women are given to actually talk.

Us By Night, which already had a meager 24.6% women, dropped to just 18.6% time-on-stage for women. That means that at Us By Night, 40.8 hours were dominated by men and only 9.35 hours by women. Out of the women speaking, one-third of them were in creative duos with male partners-so in a conference of 63 talks, there were only nine instances of women onstage without a man. That's only 14%. For a conference that aims to represent the very cutting-edge of design today, these numbers suggest the opposite.

The following list shows percentages of the time women had on stage at conferences. (This chart highlights only the conferences that had women on stage under 50% of the time):

While many conferences that have an even balance of men and women speaking may have few, and sometimes no, WOC on the lineup. Gender inclusivity isn't the only area of concern when it comes to design conference lineups: like many industries, the design industry must be more inclusive of racial and ethnic minorities. Conferences overwhelmingly reflect the bias, when they could be combating it.

WOC are subject to both gender and racial discrimination, and therefore it is vital that conference organizers ensure their voices are heard. To create a truly intersectional lineup, organizers must address the additional struggles that WOC face. In an in 2018, designer essay published in Creative Review Anoushka Khandwala notes: "The only way diversity can stop being an afterthought and be integrated into our perception of design is if those at the top of the industry, who benefit from these power structures, start to represent this issue. The way we are trying to encourage change at the moment is too slow, and relies on each WOC who, despite the odds, achieves success, doing her bit in helping the next generation follow suit."

If you're a conference organizer or attendee with more data to share, please send the lineup's gender breakdown to submit@aiga.org. If the conference fits with our criteria, we'll double-check the numbers and add them to our findings.

Over the coming months, we'll be interviewing conference organizers behind successfully diverse and inclusive lineups in order to gather more information and resources that other organizers can draw from.

Whether or not your conference is a profit-making enterprise, if you do not consider inclusion, you're complicit in the exclusionary status quo. Khandwala puts it perfectly: "Design needs to reflect culture, and if we don't integrate diversity into our notion of what design is, not only will we fail to adequately cater to society's needs, we may actually be guilty of perpetuating society's ills."

For organizers struggling to improve their lineups, here are a few first steps towards curating a more inclusive conference environment:

Offer free child care so it's easier for parents to speak at your event.

Provide fair compensation to everyone who speaks, so that those with less lucrative businesses can afford to attend.

Discover new talent, and curate an original lineup. Speaking personally, we're extremely bored seeing the same people over and over again at your conferences. Stop excluding by only inviting established designers; look instead for those who haven't been invited to speak yet.

Invite a diverse group of guest curators to assemble your lineup. Reach out to communities beyond your immediate network by diversifying your team of organizers.

Make your event as accessible as possible by following the tips listed on the Alphabettes blog. For example: Invest in accessible venues, pumping and family rooms, gender-neutral bathrooms, and dietary requirements-compliant food.

Be transparent about the application process in your call for speakers. Potential speakers who can't afford to travel without reimbursement will be turned off by your lack of transparency.

Ask sponsors to fund scholarship tickets for underrepresented groups-speakers and attendees-that can't attend your event without financial help.

Check out AIGA's Diversity + Inclusion resources.

The following resources can help organizers find diverse speakers and moderators for their conferences. Email us ( submit@aiga.org ) or tweet suggestions of other databases to us @AIGAEyeOnDesign and we'll add them to this ever-growing resource:

A Reparative List for The Male-Dominated Conference: This Google Doc lists women "who work in, through, around, and for design" as recommended by peers and admirers." The list is global and organized by country.

Speakerinnen: A largely European open database of female-identifying speakers, organized by topic type.

Women Who Draw: An open directory of female-identifying illustrators from around the globe.

Typequality: A directory of typefaces made by women. Scroll through the fonts to discover the names of the designers behind them.

Women of Graphic Design: A Tumblr featuring the work of women in graphic design.

Khatt Foundation: The Centre for Arabic Typography, a cultural foundation dedicated to advancing Arabic typography and design research in the Middle East, North Africa, and their diasporas. Browse its news and resources for contributors.

Typefaces designed by Asian women: An open-source list of typefaces designed by women type designers from Asia.

People of Craft: A showcase of creatives of color.

Techies Project: A photo project sharing stories of those who tend to be underrepresented in tech, including (but not limited to): women, people of color, those over 50, LGBTQ+, working parents, disabled, etc.

Eye on Design: We pride ourselves on regularly publishing profiles and interviews with those often underrepresented in the design press. Browse our Design + Diversity category and our Profiles to find young, diverse talent.

notamuse: The website and book by this investigation's research assistants provides an extensive overview of European women working in the field today.

Hall of Femmes: Browse the extensive online archive of interviews to discover more women in the field.

Purchase the 2010 special issue of Slanted , which focused specifically on women in type.

YesEqual: Find more women speakers in the field through browsing YesEqual's extensive online directory.

Should I Leave or Should I Stay?: A blog featuring interviews with Korean women designers.

Women Talk Design: A directory of women and gender non-binary design speakers.

Posterwomen: An Instagram account that highlights the poster designs of female-identifying designers. The platform's founder also keeps an opensource spreadsheet of women designers that includes location.

affemation: A network of women in Australian graphic design.

Punanimation: A directory of women, trans, and non-binary friends working within animation and motion graphics.

We would like to thank graphic designer Christoph Knoth for providing us with his research into 2018's Brno Biennial; the ensuing conversation on Facebook was a key motivator behind this investigation. We would also like to thank Alphabettes, a blog about women type designers that also conducts an annual investigation into the gender breakdown of typography conferences.

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We Surveyed Gender Equality at the World's Biggest Design Conferences-and the Numbers Are In

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In early 2018, a designer posted on Facebook that only around one-third of the speakers at Brno's International Biennial of Graphic Design were women, sparking a lengthy discussion thread. The Brno Biennial is considered one of the most prestigious graphic design events in Europe, and the lack of ge

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For the design economy and the UK more widely to prosper during uncertain times, it is essential that we bring a greater range of people into design careers across more parts of the country.

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The average employee age for graphic designers is 37 years. The graphic designer workforce reached a whopping 118,080 in 2020!

Among graphic designers, we discovered that 48.0% of them are women, while 47.6% are men. The most common race/ethnicity among graphic designers is White, which makes up 75.0% of all graphic designers. Comparatively, there are 10.3% of the Hispanic or Latino ethnicity and 8.3% of the Asian ethnicity. The majority of graphic designers are located in NY, New York and CA, Los Angeles.

Graphic designers are more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies. Taking it a step further, graphic designers are more likely to find a job in the media industry. Looking at graphic designer statistics, we found was that Washington, Oregon, Massachusetts, California and New York are where graphic designers find the highest salaries.

From where do we know all information about graphic designer demographics? We analyzed 120,919 graphic designers resumes to find out what the average demographics are for the job position. Just to be clear, by demographics we mean the study of population-based factors like age, race, and sex. On top of scouring through resumes, we also took note of job proposals from employers and Census Bureau data. And guess what? We found some pretty interesting information.

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The average employee age for graphic designers is 37 years. The graphic designer workforce reached a whopping 118,080 in 2020! Among graphic designers, we discovered that 48.0% of them are women, while 47.6% are men. The most common race/ethnicity among graphic designers is White, which makes up 75.0% of all graphic designers.

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Janiform kantharos with addorsed heads of a male African and a female Greek on JSTOR

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JSTOR is a digital library of academic journals, books, and primary sources.

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JSTOR is a digital library of academic journals, books, and primary sources.

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Presumed Incompetent II: Race, Class, Power, and Resistance of Women in Academia

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foreword by Angela Harris https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctvzxxb94 Cite this Item Book Description: The courageous and inspiring personal narratives and empirical studies in Presumed Incompetent II: Race, Class, Power, and Resistance of Women in Academia name formidable obstacles and systemic biases that all women faculty-from diverse intersectional and transnational identities and from tenure track, terminal contract, and administrative positions-encounter in their higher education careers.

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The Future of Undergraduate Education on JSTOR

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This essay looks at how different sectors of U.S. higher education are funded, the students they serve, and the outcomes they deliver for those students. It rai...

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Purpose The impostor phenomenon (IP) refers to the intense feelings of intellectual fraudulence, often experienced by high-achieving individuals. The purpose of this study is threefold: (1) examine the trait-relatedness of the IP; (2) investigate the potential impact of impostor tendencies on relevant work attitudes (i.e., job satisfaction and organizational commitment) and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB); and (3) explore whether workplace social support can buffer the potential harmful effects of impostor tendencies. Design/methodology/approach Belgian employees (N = 201) from three different sectors participated in a cross-sectional survey study. Findings Hierarchical regressions revealed that Big Five personality traits, core self-evaluations, and maladaptive perfectionism explain large proportions of the variance in impostor tendencies (ΔR² = .59). A relative weight analysis indicated self-efficacy as the most important predictor, followed by maladaptive perfectionism and Neuroticism. Further, results showed that employees with stronger impostor tendencies indicate lower levels of job satisfaction and OCB, and higher levels of continuance commitment. However, workplace social support buffered the negative effects of impostor tendencies on job satisfaction and OCB. Implications Employees hampered by impostor tendencies could benefit from coaching programs that focus on the enhancement of self-efficacy and the alleviation of maladaptive perfectionistic concerns. Impostor tendencies have an impact on career attitudes and organizational behavior. Extra attention could be devoted to the assessment of this specific trait constellation in selection or development contexts. Interventions designed to increase social support are particularly relevant in this regard. Originality/value Despite its relevance for contemporary work settings, the IP has barely been investigated in adult working samples.

Journal Information

Journal of Business and Psychology is an international forum for the publication of empirical research, case studies, and literature reviews dealing with psychological concepts and services implemented in business settings. Written by psychologists, behavioral scientists, and organizational specialists employed in business, industry, and academia, peer-reviewed original articles deal with all aspects of psychology that apply to the business sector. Typical subject matters include, but are not limited to: Mentoring, Socialization, Coaching, Leadership Development, Counterproductive Behavior, Emotions at Work, Withdrawal, Cross-Cultural Issues, Groups, Inclusion, Diversity, Creativity, Job Analysis, Job Design, Job Attitudes, Job Performance, Citizenship Behavior, Judgment and Decision Making, Leadership, Employment Law, Measurement, Motivation, Occupational Health, Stress, Organizational Culture, Climate, Organizational Justice, Organizational Performance, OD, Performance Appraisal, Feedback, Research Methodology, Staffing and Selection, Strategic HR, Training, Work and Family.

Publisher Information

Springer is one of the leading international scientific publishing companies, publishing over 1,200 journals and more than 3,000 new books annually, covering a wide range of subjects including biomedicine and the life sciences, clinical medicine, physics, engineering, mathematics, computer sciences, and economics.

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Fear of Being Exposed: The Trait-Relatedness of the Impostor Phenomenon and its Relevance in the Work Context on JSTOR

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Purpose The impostor phenomenon (IP) refers to the intense feelings of intellectual fraudulence, often experienced by high-achieving individuals. The purpose of this study is threefold: (1) examine the trait-relatedness of the IP; (2) investigate the potential impact of impostor tendencies on relevant work attitudes (i.e., job satisfaction and organizational commitment) and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB); and (3) explore whether workplace social support can buffer the potential harmful effects of impostor tendencies.

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Question - To what extent does the lack of diversity in the Design industry act as a catalyst to the development of imposters syndrome within young designers?

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Question - To what extent does the lack of diversity in the Design industry act as a catalyst to the development of imposters syndrome within young designers?

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Podcast - Diversity in Graphic Design US 

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Podcast - Diversity in Graphic Design US 

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podcast host / designer / entrepreneur / writer

2020

maurice cherry / revision path / lunch / mon cheri / black weblog awards / recognize / selma / morehouse college / atlanta / math / nasa / 9/11 / marching band / trombone / creative loafing / at&t / steven universe

And remember, we can talk about making a difference, we can make a difference, or we can do both. - Debbie Millman

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Design Matters: Maurice Cherry | Design Matters

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4441b65f-1c7d-4e74-b494-b09b7ee6535f 9cd5e44f-4058-4bfe-aa10-f4da7785fd03 podcast host / designer / entrepreneur / writer 2020 maurice cherry / revision path / lunch / mon cheri / black weblog awards / recognize / selma / morehouse college / atlanta / math / nasa / 9/11 / marching band / trombone / creative loafing / at&t / steven universe And remember, we can talk about making a difference, we can make a difference, or we can do both.

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Interesting data visualisation to express the lack of diversity in design. If you are white you can see yourself clearly however if you are black/POC the camera will be extremely blurry.

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The Ethnic Filter is a data visualization which puts you face to face with the lack of diversity in design through webcam blur filters. Each filter is mapped to a race/ethnicity - the blurrier it is, the lower their visibility.

Click anywhere to move through the filters. On the Black filter, click the flashing button to download a gif. Or take screenshot selfies. Then share using #ethnicfilter and #designcensus.

The data is from AIGA and Google's 2016 Design Census. In all, there were 7205 Whites, 998 Hispanics, 951 Asians and 349 Blacks. The White blur was set to 0 while the others were mapped to a range from 10 to 35 using linear scaling.

Commissioned by AIGA. Made by Ekene Ijeoma with ♥ in NYC.

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The Ethnic Filter is a data visualization which puts you face to face with the lack of diversity in design through webcam blur filters. Each filter is mapped to a race/ethnicity - the blurrier it is, the lower their visibility. Click anywhere to move through the filters.

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To look back and self critique