cult membership: what factors contribute to joining or leaving?

Strengthening protective factors plays an important role in reducing youth gang involvement. 0000024375 00000 n 0000010126 00000 n 453 0 obj NXIVM founder and leader Keith Raniere, who members referred to as "Vanguard," did just that for decades, and was arrested on seven charges including sex trafficking in June 2019. 0000003586 00000 n A huge reason there is no clear cut definition is because of this! 0000010434 00000 n These factors are applied to various case examples in this paper. I find it interesting that Rousselet et al., (2017) compare cult membership to addiction, which is supported by Goodman (1990). Researchers used 23 risk factors to calculate a child's propensity for joining a gang, and then compared 173 youth who had joined a gang with 173 who did not but showed a similar propensity for doing so, so that the only difference between the two groups was gang membership. Personally, I find it very apt. <>76 0 R]/P 566 0 R/Pg 481 0 R/S/Link>> There is tremendous research about how joining a cult is far more about manipulation of the leader towards vulnerable people rather than simply the individuals being mentally ill. One thing that could be further explored is the leader themselves. 0000020860 00000 n After a 7-week trial, the jury took 5 hours to convict Raniere. Additionally, cults target people who are dissatisfied with their current life, spirituality, or personal development (Rousselet, 2017). (2017) Why do people join cults? Rousselet, M. (2017) Cult membership: What factors contribute to joining or leaving? In order to punish anyone who questions authority, they subjected to public humiliation and social isolation. According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry , gangs are "groups of children, adolescents, and/or young adults that share a common identity and are involved in wrongful or delinquent activities."The psychology of gang membership has been quite well-studied. DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2017.07.018, Statistics Canada. They want to make a name and be regarded as powerful persons for reasons based on past negative experiences at the family levels. 0000004516 00000 n 0000012751 00000 n Under the right set of criteria, I think any organized religion or group could be considered cultic, but I think at this point it is much more about the public perception of organized religion vs cults (could you imagine the outrage of a study claiming the catholic church is a cult?). - Read online for free. Before That being said, I had my own preconceived impressions before even walking through the doors. Cult membership as a source of self-cohesion: forensic implications. 6 0 obj Developmental Characteristics of Adolescents That Increase Risk of Joining Anti-Social Cults. They want willing slaves. A few professors have tried to establish terms on which a group can be considered cultic, but fall short because the requirements they establish are based upon subjective evaluations and assumptions (Freckelton, 1998). Ever had an experience with a cult or controlling relationship? In particular, Antisocial Personality Disorder and Psychopathy are the most prominent disorders. <>427 0 R]/P 554 0 R/Pg 543 0 R/S/Link>> So, would you join a cult? These factors could be individual, environmental and/or linked to the characteristics of the addiction object, that is, the cultic group. 467 0 obj 0000020833 00000 n 0000015551 00000 n Examining the psychology behind cult membership can shed light on the many factors that influence human behavior, which may make it easier for the public to understand how cults can be appealing. It could also be a political group, business, or lifestyle cult. <>410 0 R]/P 544 0 R/Pg 543 0 R/S/Link>> https://encompass.eku.edu/honors_theses/844, Home | It started off innocuously but started getting very personal very quickly. <> If you are wondering who joins cults and why, the short, but creepy answer is that pretty much anyone can get sucked into them."That is the insidiousness of mind-manipulation," Lisa Kohn, a cult . Knowing what areas, the proselyting and controlling strategy of cults focused on are very valuable in undoing the hold of the cult culture on former members and reestablishing a new mission for. Posted by 1 year ago. 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? 5 0 obj Psychology Today 2023 Sussex Publishers, LLC. . 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. 471 0 obj <> 0000005357 00000 n Tully Worron Dr. Greanoff Lakewood High School The issue of cults leads one to question This article regarding anti-social cults (religious cults), talked about young people in particular, and how their development into the world impacts their cognitive decisions regarding joining cults. As for addictive disorders, we suppose that vulnerability factors could be involved during the . FAQ | About | endobj Some people cope by jumping into a new relationship very quickly, while others celebrate their new-found independence. In 2011, a Lululemon employee named Brittany Norwood did not make enough money to afford the clothing she needed as a work uniform. Mendeley helps you to discover research relevant for your work. 466 0 obj 2021 Aug 13;12(1):1954776. doi: 10.1080/20008198.2021.1954776. 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 <. 0000005478 00000 n A new study suggests proactively contacting a friend and engaging in a quality social interaction is associated with a meaningful boost in mood. After she ended her relationship, she wanted to find a future partner who shared her passion for social justice. 0000007740 00000 n Iatrogenic symptoms associated with a therapy cult: examination of an extinct "new psychotherapy" with respect to psychiatric deterioration and "brainwashing". I found the topic you chose to be very interesting. According to an article written for the American Psychological Association by Dr. Philip Zimbardo, there is no type of person who joins a cult. They claim that Scientology Spiritual Ministers are prepared all over the globe to help solve any problem at a moments notice. It is typically authoritarian, headed by a person or group of people with near complete control of followers. Most people do not realize that a cult does not necessarily have to be a religion. <>120 0 R]/P 508 0 R/Pg 481 0 R/S/Link>> 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. Please enable it to take advantage of the complete set of features! 446 0 obj 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. This has brought more questions regarding the members and leaders of these cult organizations. Cult leaders want people who will be obedient to them and their rules. A sample of 75 ex-members of cults or new religious movements completed two personality inventories: the short form of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire and the Beck Sociotropy-Autonomy Scale. Psychiatry. "So the adage, 'He or she speaks my language,' it kind of makes you feel like you have some things in common with these people. I did not have much knowledge regarding cults, I like to consider myself uneducated, and thus reading your post made me curious as to how cults relate to social cognition. > Namely the origin of the group and the role of the leader, the power structure between the leaders and followers, and the use of a coordinated program of persuasion (Freckelton, 1998). endobj 0000115951 00000 n official website and that any information you provide is encrypted 2023-02-21T08:12:45-08:00 Cult leaders are desperate to trick you into joining. This should include birthdays; special occasions such as anniversaries and of course holidays. Get the help you need from a therapist near youa FREE service from Psychology Today. The actor Joaquin Phoenix and his siblings were also born into The Children of God cult. 0000111884 00000 n general thought and question. But I suspect they will discover that most people can relatively easily be made to believe all sorts of unsubstantiated information, just look at the varied degrees of unscientific, unproven nonsense most religions adhere to. The Making of Cults: The Factors that Contribute to Membership and the Leaders' Influence Chloe Greenidge, Eastern Kentucky University Follow Abstract This thesis investigates the factors that contribute to the increased vulnerability to cult membership. Being a Scientologist, you look at someone, and you know absolutely that you can help them . As we know, addiction is complicated, and there are many theories that attempt to explain this phenomenon. &nf*$v*TE5Q&P.l-6~WFbu kC`4P$+^/*c(t jB|X? Ut2]5Q&t*s.9 <> Rousselet, M., Duretete, O., Hardouin, J. Sally is an educational psychologist. 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. 0000021395 00000 n 0000024474 00000 n 474 0 obj Allison Mack, a former Smallville actress, leaves court in New York after a hearing related to . In any event, the exit . Save time finding and organizing research with Mendeley. Some Youths joined secret cults for popularity. Cult membership: What factors contribute to joining or leaving? National Library of Medicine https://doi.org/10.1080/13218719809524918 , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kB-dJaCXAxA, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8234595, https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1310009618, https://go-galegroup-com.ezproxy.uleth.ca/ps/i.do?p=HRCA&u=leth89164&id=GALE, http://www.searo.who.int/entity/child_adolescent/topics/adolescent_health/en/, https://www.insider.com/i-grew-up-in-a-cult-and-i-can-tell-you-why-normal-people-join-them-2018-3, https://www.ted.com/talks/janja_lalich_why_do_people_join_cults?language=en, https://doi-org.ezproxy.uleth.ca/10.1080/10609393.2018.1451678, https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/nxivm-raniere-cult-1.518179, Terrorism and Culty Vibes Social Cognition. Not Everybody Agrees, Illegal Missionary Work Lawsuits and Exit Counseling for Unification Church Members, The Reliability of Apostate Testimony About New Religious Movements, CULTS and PUBLIC POLICY PROTECTING the VICTIMS of CULTIC ABUSE in AUSTRALIA Stephen Mutch, CONCLUSION Seventh-Day Adventism in Tanzania Experienced. HONORS_THESES 465 0 obj View This Abstract Online; Cult membership: What factors contribute to joining or leaving? 2023-02-21T08:12:45-08:00 cult leaders want people who are dissatisfied with their current life, spirituality, lifestyle!, would you join a cult does not necessarily have to be very interesting own preconceived impressions before walking... Particular, Antisocial Personality Disorder and Psychopathy are the most prominent disorders know, addiction is complicated, and know. Also be a religion such as anniversaries and of course holidays to make name. We suppose that vulnerability factors could be individual, environmental and/or linked the! 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