Cult Influence and Tactics of Persuasion
Roughly 2.5 million Americans are involved in cults, which are defined as groups of people who organize around a strong authority figure. Unlike religious groups, cults often have a primary goal which can range from gaining members to having strong political control. It is important to recognize what makes up a cult, techniques used to draw people into cults, and symptoms of a person who may be involved in a cult. By knowing these things, a person would be better equipped to avoid becoming part of a cult.
Despite what many think, a cult is made up of quite average people. Research indicates that two thirds of members are psychologically healthy, and the remaining one third experience slightly depressive symptoms, usually related to personal loss. In fact, only about five to six percent of cult members demonstrate psychological problems. Cults are not typically interested in these types of people because they prefer productive and intelligent individuals. The most common cause for people to join a cult is that they share beliefs with
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The most frequent cults are Religious, meaning they have a religious goal that is shared within the whole organization. Religious cults differ from religious groups, such as church organizations, as churches are focused on outward goodness for their members, while religious cults have a specific purpose, chosen by the group or its leader. The other three cult types are not quite as common but still exist. Psychological cults focus on enlightenment methods, which are very expensive for the members. Commercial cults are recognized as economic groups, or pyramid schemes, set out to make money and gain members. The last known type is Political; a great example of this was Naziism during WWII. Most political groups are not as destructive as Naziism, but all hold a main political goal and shared