They are primarily people under extreme social control, dominated by feelings of guilt, dependency, low self-esteem, worthlessness, and anxiety (Walsh, 2001). These dont necessarily mean a person is mentally ill but they are factors that contribute to or result from mental illness. "A lot of people will say, 'How could you have gotten involved?' 1 Rather, it's a mixture of wanting self-improvement and community, as well as timing. 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! Isolation, lack of touch, social distancing, Recruitment into extreme conspiracy theories and cults/scams, Relationships: friends, family, community, Psychosomatic symptoms (headaches, backaches, asthma, skin problems). Psychiatry. The Making of Cults: The Factors that Contribute to Membership and the Leaders Influence This has brought more questions regarding the members and leaders of these cult organizations. addiction is chronic condition that affects lives in many ways, I agree with you that not every cult member has a mental illness but Id be curious to see if there was some updated research on the comparison of susceptibility between those with or without mental illness. 0000112375 00000 n
endobj In treating ex-cult members, Dr. Cath noted that the vast majority of people who she had treated ended up joining a cult after having a long history of blaming other people in their lives for their problems. p$L; 2(n$i2H^OX# 7ACQ&efiB+46Q=Hem`Y4pM@6o
!`ufSM[}2gkh[tq?qM:ajp@*m jVyPamWCpCf(JN[&JIM"ff. Or does it begin as the well-meaning intent to spread new ideas? Clin Psychol Rev. According to Dr. Stanley H. Cath of Tufts University School of Medicine, many people who join cults were raised in a family that attempted to teach them Christianity, Judaism, or another formal religion, and yet they rejected it. Retrieved from: https://doi-org.ezproxy.uleth.ca/10.1080/10609393.2018.1451678. Design a site like this with WordPress.com. 0000013617 00000 n
He noticed that the adult members all had families and seemed distinctly normal (Lewis, 2003). These factors could be individual, en- vironmental and/or linked to the characteristics of the addiction object, 2.3.1. > Interactions with friends, family, peers, or community members, can contribute to an individual's motivation to join a cult. Sociodemographic characteristics that is, the cultic group. They are after your obedience, your time and your money.Cults use sophisticated mind control and recruitment techniques that have been refined over time. Table 13-10-0096-18 Mood disorders, by age group (https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1310009618). By capitalizing on this proclivity, cults can be that much more insidious. Psychiatry research 257 pp 27. Why do people start cults? Dr. Margaret Thaler Singer devoted her lifes work to studying the psychology of brainwashing and cults. Are cultic environments psychologically harmful? The Attractive Offer of the Cult. They look for ways to break people; they want people who will work hard and long hours for little or no pay. Clipboard, Search History, and several other advanced features are temporarily unavailable. 0000113083 00000 n
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. She was taught to believe that without Scientology, the world was doomed, and the fate of the entire planet was in their hands. 0000005002 00000 n
- Read online for free. It is easier for someone to join a cult they are already familiar with, usually, people are recruited by friends, family members, or coworkers, which can make it harder to say no. Chloe Greenidge Labor trafficking can take several forms, including bonded labor, otherwise known as debt bondage, and forced labor. Do we know about them, or are they hidden from the rest of us non-culters (or ex-culters)? A cult is an organized group whose purpose is to dominate cult members through psychological manipulation and pressure strategies. 452 0 obj
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Cult membership as a form of addictive disorder. After a 7-week trial, the jury took 5 hours to convict Raniere. Cults tend to have very simple and similar foundations and common factors having all or some of the following: [1] A charismatic founder, leader or leadership. Questioning the cult results in rejection or abuse, and through the same psychological tactic that gets people involved in the first place, feeling the need to belong makes people put aside things they know are wrong. Critics of the athletic apparel company Lululemon Athletica have accused the corporation of being a cult. So, would you join a cult? Why then, do people stay once it is clear what the community is about? Adolf Hitler was very good at this. 0000046622 00000 n
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474 0 obj They usually do not take responsibility for their own faults, and they continue to move forward with their own goals of achieving perfection at all costs. "Cults are groups that often exploit members psychologically and/or financially, typically by making members comply with leadership's demands through certain types of psychological manipulation, popularly called mind control, and through the inculcation of deep-seated anxious dependency on the group and its leaders." 0
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endobj Nearly 70 percent of romances may begin as friendships, new research suggests. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider Or you may find yourself recruited online from social media posts, websites, YouTube videos, discussion forums, dating apps, movies or video games. There are specific strategies, patterns, and behaviors used by cultic groups to recruit new members and manipulate and control them. <> Kristina Jones, a woman born into a cult called The Children of God (Originally named Teens for Christ), wrote for the BBC about why some people decide to join these groups in the first place. 0000024305 00000 n
Jones explains that after the horrible injustices her father witnessed during the Vietnam War, he felt as though he did not want to be a part of society anymore. You are not allowed to question and your inner voice is suppressed. So, instead of blaming the victims, he insists that people need to focus on how the founder of the organization managed to be so seductive, that they recruited their followers in the first place. Tully Worron Dr. Greanoff Lakewood High School The issue of cults leads one to question When the mind is controlled, a victim may appear happy and willing to suffer for the profit or benefit of the leader/group. Link to article . 0000113219 00000 n
The subject of cults has been quite promin the media over the last few months, with organizations such as NXIVM being in the media spotlight, especially after NXIVM leader Keith Raniere was found guilty of all sex cult charges. I was wondering if you found any research to suggest that, while not everyone who joins a cult has a mental illness, maybe those who do are more susceptible? 0000004516 00000 n
For members, happiness comes from "good" performance within the group, along with elitist thinkingbelieving they have the "truth" or the the best way of life. Cults also offer a very structured lifestyle, with absolute answers about what is right and wrong. Relationships with the other members of the cult or the leader themselves play a huge role as to why people stay, despite being aware of the way they are being manipulated. <>80 0 R]/P 570 0 R/Pg 481 0 R/S/Link>> 452 117
The church was funded by taking 30% of its member's gross income and its leader, Herbert W. Armstrong, a self-titled 'Last Apostle' of Jesus Christ, lived a luxurious life in Hollywood. eCollection 2021. Spiritual Abuse Among Cult Ex-members: A Descriptive Phenomenological Psychological Inquiry Glasscock, Deborah Susan . Women kill for very different reasons than men. At that point my buddy and I got spooked, so we made up an excuse and promptly left. 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. endobj 462 0 obj endobj That's why people who are on a mission to improve themselves in a person or professional sense could be susceptible to joining a cult, according to Bernstein. Close relationships are a human need. 446 0 obj > trailer
Perhaps belonging to a cult is a little bit like being extremely addicted to heroinonce youre in, it is nearly impossible to get out. Before Labeling Scientology: Cult, Fringe, Extremist, Or Mainstream? <>423 0 R]/P 552 0 R/Pg 543 0 R/S/Link>> The modern polygraph test is widely used, but is it accurate? It is typically authoritarian, headed by a person or group of people with near complete control of followers. 464 0 obj According to an article written for the American Psychological Association by Dr. Philip Zimbardo, there is no type of person who joins a cult. =~vl0WzvQK8XUXa The first goal in educating yourself is prevention, for yourself and others. From this point, cults employ lots of techniques commonplace to social psychology, such as confirmation bias and cognitive dissonance. oX9 , The Making of Cults: The Factors that Contribute to Membership and the Leaders Influence. He claims that anyone, under the right conditions, could be convinced to join a cult. They were offering free personality tests. After reading Rousselet, Duretete, Hardouin, & Grall-Bronnec (2017), it is clear that there is a sort of indoctrination process that is involved in becoming a part of the cult, and that particular people, such as those who have been previously exposed to cult-like groups, or groups with beliefs that are similar to the cult, may be more vulnerable to this process. Some people cope by jumping into a new relationship very quickly, while others celebrate their new-found independence. Is Social Media Use Really Problematic for Teens? Rousselet, M., Duretete, O., Hardouin, J. 460 0 obj <>76 0 R]/P 566 0 R/Pg 481 0 R/S/Link>> endobj Its possible then that cult leaders might prey on these vulnerable people, and potentially use the guise of friendship and compassion to recruit people they may already know. That's what cults do. Groupthink. . 0000112823 00000 n
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