An excellent article published by Psychology Today:
Why do people join and even appear to thrive in cult-like groups? Why do people join the Masons, the Rotarians or a political Party? Because of what they offer: friendship, connections, identity, an opportunity to make a contribution. Are the motives the same as joining the Order of the Solar Temple, the Branch Davidians, the Taliban, Hamas, or the Al Qua-eda? How are acceptable social groups and organizations different from (dangerous) cults?
There is a great deal of interest in “cults” which can take many forms: They may be religious or racial, political or mystical, self-help or pseudo-psychological, but they all have half a dozen recognizable characteristics:
Powerful and exclusive dedication/devotion to an explicit person or creed.
They use of “thought-reform” programmes to integrate, socialize, persuade and therefore control members.
A well thought through recruitment, selection and socialization process.
Attempts to maintain psychological and physical dependency among cult members.
Cults insist on reprogramming the way people see the world.
Consistent exploitation of group members specifically to advance the leaders goals.
Cults nearly always go in for milieu control signals: a different,unfamiliar setting with different rules, terms, behaviour patterns.
Ultimately using psychological and physical harm to cult members, their friends and relatives and possibly the community as a whole.
Read the full article here: http://ow.ly/bx2B30dC5QF
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