A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree PhD Psychology in the Department of Psychology, at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2011. / The present study investigated the impact of motivation on academic success by using the impostor phenomenon to understand the experiences of a selected group in a Black Higher Education institution. The researcher used a questionnaire, interviewed and observed research participants. Questionnaires were sent out in the first week of term to ascertain maximum number of participants as well as receive demographical information. The Impostor Phenomenon questionnaire [IP; 6]: which is a 20- item scale developed by Clarence (1985), was used to assess impostor feelings, that is, feelings of not being deserving of one’s success with an associated fear of being found out as a “fake” . The interview was used to obtain narrative information that would have been difficult to gather through the questionnaire. Recordings from the interviews and observations during interviews were captured, forming data for the final analysis. The study revealed that a positive student –teacher relationship enhanced positive self- concepts in students. This support from teachers was found to engender goal motivations despite situational conditions. I have argued in this study that the social, gender based disparities expressed as culture in South African society, impact negatively on the maintenance of intrinsic motivation. The study also supports the impression that psycho-social development of students needs to be integrated into student’s academic lives for a holistic understanding and possibly enhance their academic performance. Findings in this study were found to correspond with other studies of resiliency, especially among traditional African women.