"Sometimes people are just wanting to connect with people they think they have something in common with, and a cult provides instant community and love-bombing and a language that suddenly you all speak," Bernstein said, referring to the jargon cults often create for their members. These people want the protection of a parental figure who will save them from the outside world. Crucial Decisions: Leadership in Policymaking and Crisis Management, Free PPress, New York,p. Dr. Stein, who grew up protesting alongside her parents during the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, goes on to explain that breaking up with her boyfriend was the catalyst for her to unwittingly join a cult in the United States. sharing sensitive information, make sure youre on a federal This is akin to a debutante . Striving for perfectionism comes into play in many cults. As you had mentioned above, some of the characteristics stated about why normal people stay within a cult is because of loneliness and unworthiness. Shannon Quinn is a writer and entrepreneur from the Philadelphia area. <>84 0 R]/P 572 0 R/Pg 481 0 R/S/Link>> Finding ones identity and purpose in life can sometimes be a struggle, and a cult often gives people a cause that they can fight for. 456 0 obj Cult leaders are typically malignant narcissists and want people who will be obedient to them. <> Dr. Singer explains, The cult leader grows wealthier and more powerful while trying to convey to the followers that he is helping them. It would be easy for someone with the best intentions to join the organization. The first step in keeping you and your loved ones safe is learning more about what a cult is, how they work, and the lasting serious after-effects of being involved with one. Required fields are marked *. 0000116153 00000 n The case examples explored in this paper are Jonestown, The Kentucky Vampire Clan, The Manson Family, and The Source Family. Prolonged and intense coercive persuasion can cause identity disturbance. This was my initial impression of The Church of Scientology center. I did not include any of these statistics in my writing because there were only 31 former cult members interviewed and I didnt think that was a large enough sample size to make any concrete conclusions. Cult membership: what factors contribute to joining or leaving? Undue Influence does NOT erase the persons old identity but rather creates a new identity to suppress the old one. endstream endobj 453 0 obj <>]>>/PageMode/UseOutlines/Pages 446 0 R/SaveStreams<>/Type/Catalog>> endobj 454 0 obj <>/Font<>>>/Fields[]>> endobj 455 0 obj <> endobj 456 0 obj <<>> endobj 457 0 obj <>/ExtGState<>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageC]/XObject<>>>/Rotate 0/Type/Page>> endobj 458 0 obj <>/Border[0 0 0]/Rect[322.242 723.798 369.978 731.792]/Subtype/Link/Type/Annot>> endobj 459 0 obj <>/Border[0 0 0]/Rect[267.987 668.012 411.364 676.006]/Subtype/Link/Type/Annot>> endobj 460 0 obj <>/Border[0 0 0]/Rect[37.587 730.091 37.587 742.053]/Subtype/Link/Type/Annot>> endobj 461 0 obj <. The other attribute that makes. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license. This thesis investigates the factors that contribute to the increased vulnerability to cult membership. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. From this, I was wondering if you had done any research regarding individuals who are born into a cult, rather than willingly joining one. Steven Hassan, Ph.D., is a mental health professional, cult and undue influence expert who has been working in the field of relationship, group, and political cults for over 40 years. Groupthink. There are better ways than deprogramming to extricate loved ones from abusive groups. 30 0 obj Nearly 70 percent of romances may begin as friendships, new research suggests. Legitimating New Religions. official website and that any information you provide is encrypted 0000024375 00000 n Social media has both positive and negative benefits on mental health, and the way it impacts teens varies from person to person. <> endobj Simplified goal or aim structure, such as to save something or introduce something to everyone. Likewise, Lalich suggests that the leader preys on individuals who are typically new to the area (2017), and in my opinion, I think this would be because people who are new to an area typically do not have anyone to rely on, they dont have any sense of belonging, therefore when an otherwise friendly person offers a community, how could you say no? It becomes increasingly difficult to speak up about practices of the cult when for other members they are commonplace. She was caught red-handed by one of her fellow co-workers Jayna Murray. 0000003792 00000 n Retrieved July 12, 2019, from http://www.searo.who.int/entity/child_adolescent/topics/adolescent_health/en/. Most people go to great lengths to avoid spoilers about their favourite stories, TV shows, or sports games. 0000012836 00000 n Our aim in this paper is to argue that individuals join religious cults as persons, but lose their personhood as their position in the group is solidified, becoming simply humans. There are, however, a few common threads that draw people towards these types of organizations. 463 0 obj She plans to identify factors influencing stress of secondary school teachers. Where possible, reach out to former members. 445 0 obj 0000024305 00000 n The .gov means its official. 0000006886 00000 n Cult membership and addictive disorders share some characteristics: persistence despite damage, initial psychological relief, occupation of an exclusive place in the thoughts of members, high psychiatric comorbidity prevalence, high accessibility, leading to social precariousness and the importance of familial support when leaving. NOW WATCH: There are serious health reasons you shouldn't eat your boogers, Visit Insider's homepage for more stories, The science-backed psychology techniques NXIVM used to 'fetishize vulnerability' and manipulate members into sex, 4 signs you had a codependent upbringing that affects your adult relationships, according to a therapist, Tantric sex students say gurus have used the promise of enlightenment to sexually abuse their students, How a cult-recovery therapist helps former NXIVM members regain their independence: 'There's a huge amount of fear and loss', HBO's docuseries "The Vow" examines the sex cult NXIVM and asks the central question: "How does someone get wrapped up in a dangerous cult?". %PDF-1.7 % x]o6 ?*`Zn5vQqhbg~$%ukI 4R:zROj}"454K"q6n:Y>W80r=S27_E7Sf|ttB^Z$fvuNnq~q_i#ThCQQL*J*-r~| K7 mS|?#}eIoI{ I?!r*qlufCWic>?v>. a`m\J\0U0x~}TZsrYg~!.gPEkR-L7!Yd2`< I*XeDJAnGbGH*|~NnfxSaV 471 0 obj <>114 0 R]/P 502 0 R/Pg 481 0 R/S/Link>> 0000046995 00000 n They were offering free personality tests. Perhaps, depending on the cult and the nature of this process, it could be likely that a person experiencing self-doubt and life dissatisfaction could fall prey to cultic influence. Dr. Adrian Furnham wrote about the many reasons why people join cults for Psychology Today. 0000010356 00000 n Jones opened his . This elitism gives people an us vs. them sort of mindset, which eventually leads to members becoming socially isolated from people living in the outside world. 0000113842 00000 n Cult influence is designed to disrupt a person's authentic identity and replace it with a new identity. So, in this respect, the fact that women join cults more often than men is not surprising. Not necessarily. I do think generally that having depressive symptoms or anxiety could absolutely play into why someone would find the idea of a cult alluring, but there absolutely needs to be more research! Beware of thinking that you are immune from cult . After a 7-week trial, the jury took 5 hours to convict Raniere. By capitalizing on this proclivity, cults can be that much more insidious. endobj It gives them license to do anything . Different cults have varying motivations and someone or . <> Method 3. But all undue influence is destructive. Table 13-10-0096-18 Mood disorders, by age group (https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1310009618). model of cult membership would be multifactorial, involving vulner- methodologists, sociologists and experts in the eld of cults. 0000045191 00000 n 0000047218 00000 n These, in turn, increase susceptibility to being recruited by a cult unless there are strong critical thinking, media literacy and good supportive network, which can help a person stay grounded. As you drive past, you know you have to do something about it, because you know youre the only one that can really help.. Retrieved from: https://www.ted.com/talks/janja_lalich_why_do_people_join_cults?language=en, Yakovleva, M.G (2018). Folks who long for greater human connection may also be more likely to fall victim to a cult. However, once anyone begins to question or doubt the actions of the organization, this love bombing can quickly turn around. 0000111966 00000 n 0000012565 00000 n It would be interesting to see what would have happened had I not had preconceived notions about the situation. Many people find comfort in seeing the world in terms of good and evil, right and wrong. Some individuals who join cults remain lifelong members. 473 0 obj I think it would make sense, given what you said about people who are dissatisfied with their life, spirituality, or personal development, and that they are in an arguably more vulnerable state. Accessibility Steve Hassan and Jon Atack are two experts who have both talked about these phenomena and there may be many more. . I would seriously question the validity of Rudin, and I think especially with the prominence of social media in current society, more research should be conducted on contemporary cults, youth susceptibility, and social media. Cults usually exhibit a protective commitment and membership that members feel drawn towards. <>/Metadata 2 0 R/Outlines 5 0 R/Pages 3 0 R/StructTreeRoot 6 0 R/Type/Catalog/ViewerPreferences<>>> Ever had an experience with a cult or controlling relationship? 0000018327 00000 n Some people cope by jumping into a new relationship very quickly, while others celebrate their new-found independence. New Brunswick, N.J.: Rutgers University Press. At 16 years old, she left her family, because she felt it was an exciting new way of life, compared to what society had to offer her. Written down, the signs seem clear: 1.. Youths who joined secret cult seize the opportunity to explore their secret desires, like sex, money, and power. 0000005002 00000 n When the mind is controlled, a victim may appear happy and willing to suffer for the profit or benefit of the leader/group. Greenidge, Chloe, "The Making of Cults: The Factors that Contribute to Membership and the Leaders Influence" (2021). Spiritual Abuse Among Cult Ex-members: A Descriptive Phenomenological Psychological Inquiry Glasscock, Deborah Susan . But the main goal is to create more power and wealth for the leader, rather than the benefit of the followers.. Jane said she struggled forming deep relationships with other women throughout her life, so when she heard how close-knit NXIVM members were, and that there was a women-only group she could join, she became interested. Retrieved from: https://doi-org.ezproxy.uleth.ca/10.1080/10609393.2018.1451678. Interactions with friends, family, peers, or community members, can contribute to an individual's motivation to join a cult. Cult membership as a source of self-cohesion: forensic implications. There is lack of informed consent. Pulls are features that attract youth. 29 0 obj Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism: A Study of 'brainwashing' in China by Dr. Robert Jay Lifton, Combating Cult Mind Control: The Guide to Protection, Rescue and Recovery from Destructive Cults, Opening Our Minds: avoiding abusive relationships and authoritarian groups by Jon Atack. endobj Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kB-dJaCXAxA. 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