The use of professional social networking sites such as LinkedIn, with more than 930 million users worldwide, can stir up feelings of self-doubt, suggests new research. Imposter syndrome -- and the accompanying fear of being "found out" -- can be associated with feeling anxious and having depressive thoughts, said researchers from the University of Edinburgh.

The research based on a survey of LinkedIn users, and published in the journal Psychology and Marketing, showed that interacting with the popular site was linked with experiences of imposter syndrome -- a feeling of inadequacy despite evidence of success. People felt a lack of professional confidence both when they browsed other people's posts and when they posted about their personal achievements.