International Journal of Cultic Studies ■ Vol. 8, 2017 61
either a state of hyperarousal (emotionally
aroused, easily startled) or hypoarousal (flat,
numb, lethargic, not fully present).
Hyperarousal occurs as a result of cultic
practices such as the application of Bateson’s
double-bind principle (“If you’re not getting
this, it’s not because my [the cult leader’s]
dogma is wrong it’s because you [the cult
member] are just not trying hard enough!”)
public confessions poorly defined and ever-
changing boundaries sleep and food
deprivation and many others. Hypoarousal
occurs through extensive meditation, chanting,
and hypnotic guided sessions (Jenkinson, 2011).
Hyperarousal
Generic PTSD hyperarousal. Pitman (1990, as
cited in Herman, 1997, p. 36) describes
hyperarousal as a combination of phobias and
generalized anxiety that is experienced
physiologically as an increased startle response
to general stimuli and an intense response to
stimuli related to the traumatic event.
Hyperarousal includes hypervigilance, “an
elevated baseline of arousal: Their bodies are
always on the alert to danger” (McFall,
Murburg, Roszell, &Veith 1989, p. 252).
Cult-induced, Complex PTSD hyperarousal.
What distinguishes this form is that some of the
former members’ phobias, to which they
respond as presented above, have been
deliberately installed by the cult/cult leader
(Hassan, 2000, p. 233). Equally, as a
consequence of their extended periods of
hyperarousal in the cult, the former members
have a significantly increased predisposition to
physiologically recognize and respond to these
installed phobias (Hassan, 2013, p. 155). One of
the most common ways for cult leaders to install
phobias is to make suggestions, use testimonials,
or tell stories during psychologically vulnerable
altered states such as extensive meditation,
chanting, and guided hypnotic sessions. These
phobias frequently relate to the world outside the
cult and, for example, instill fear in members of
dire circumstances relating to their physical and
mental health, their social life, or their spiritual
life (their “chance of redemption/ salvation”) if
the members ever leave the cult (Hassan, 2000,
p. 239). In addition, cult leaders often use
information of individuals’ vulnerabilities
obtained during public confession sessions as
the basis for creating a phobia, which they then
install.
Superstition. Similarly, cult leaders will utilize
superstition to control their members. They do
this first by deliberately maintaining this
hyperaroused state of nervousness/high anxiety
and thereby increasing the likelihood of
facilitating a self-serving superstition. Second,
they will take full advantage of unconnected
events to create a superstitious belief—for
instance, linking the death or misadventure of a
former cult member directly to the member’s
decision to leave the cult.
Superstition
As we consider the impact of superstition,
Dictionary.com defines it as
…a belief or notion, not based on reason
or knowledge, in or of the ominous
significance of a particular thing,
circumstance, occurrence, proceeding,
or the like. … a system or collection of
such beliefs … irrational fear of what is
unknown or mysterious, especially in
connection with religion … any blindly
accepted belief or notion.
An important understanding about superstition is
that, the more anxious and frightened we are, the
more likely we are to make an irrational
connection between factually unrelated events.
For example, in a 1977 experiment, the
experimenters were able to demonstrate that
paratroopers, in an obvious state of apprehension
about to jump from an aircraft, were shown a
TV screen with no image other than noise and
snow. They were more likely to see “a
nonexistent embedded figure” in this situation
than if they had been presented with the TV
image earlier (Goldberg, 2013, pp.1–3).
Superstitions seem to be a desire for control or
the illusion of control because we human beings
generally don’t like to feel that things occur
capriciously rather, we want to believe that
there is a reason for things happening, and we
look for simple, causal relationships between
complex events.
either a state of hyperarousal (emotionally
aroused, easily startled) or hypoarousal (flat,
numb, lethargic, not fully present).
Hyperarousal occurs as a result of cultic
practices such as the application of Bateson’s
double-bind principle (“If you’re not getting
this, it’s not because my [the cult leader’s]
dogma is wrong it’s because you [the cult
member] are just not trying hard enough!”)
public confessions poorly defined and ever-
changing boundaries sleep and food
deprivation and many others. Hypoarousal
occurs through extensive meditation, chanting,
and hypnotic guided sessions (Jenkinson, 2011).
Hyperarousal
Generic PTSD hyperarousal. Pitman (1990, as
cited in Herman, 1997, p. 36) describes
hyperarousal as a combination of phobias and
generalized anxiety that is experienced
physiologically as an increased startle response
to general stimuli and an intense response to
stimuli related to the traumatic event.
Hyperarousal includes hypervigilance, “an
elevated baseline of arousal: Their bodies are
always on the alert to danger” (McFall,
Murburg, Roszell, &Veith 1989, p. 252).
Cult-induced, Complex PTSD hyperarousal.
What distinguishes this form is that some of the
former members’ phobias, to which they
respond as presented above, have been
deliberately installed by the cult/cult leader
(Hassan, 2000, p. 233). Equally, as a
consequence of their extended periods of
hyperarousal in the cult, the former members
have a significantly increased predisposition to
physiologically recognize and respond to these
installed phobias (Hassan, 2013, p. 155). One of
the most common ways for cult leaders to install
phobias is to make suggestions, use testimonials,
or tell stories during psychologically vulnerable
altered states such as extensive meditation,
chanting, and guided hypnotic sessions. These
phobias frequently relate to the world outside the
cult and, for example, instill fear in members of
dire circumstances relating to their physical and
mental health, their social life, or their spiritual
life (their “chance of redemption/ salvation”) if
the members ever leave the cult (Hassan, 2000,
p. 239). In addition, cult leaders often use
information of individuals’ vulnerabilities
obtained during public confession sessions as
the basis for creating a phobia, which they then
install.
Superstition. Similarly, cult leaders will utilize
superstition to control their members. They do
this first by deliberately maintaining this
hyperaroused state of nervousness/high anxiety
and thereby increasing the likelihood of
facilitating a self-serving superstition. Second,
they will take full advantage of unconnected
events to create a superstitious belief—for
instance, linking the death or misadventure of a
former cult member directly to the member’s
decision to leave the cult.
Superstition
As we consider the impact of superstition,
Dictionary.com defines it as
…a belief or notion, not based on reason
or knowledge, in or of the ominous
significance of a particular thing,
circumstance, occurrence, proceeding,
or the like. … a system or collection of
such beliefs … irrational fear of what is
unknown or mysterious, especially in
connection with religion … any blindly
accepted belief or notion.
An important understanding about superstition is
that, the more anxious and frightened we are, the
more likely we are to make an irrational
connection between factually unrelated events.
For example, in a 1977 experiment, the
experimenters were able to demonstrate that
paratroopers, in an obvious state of apprehension
about to jump from an aircraft, were shown a
TV screen with no image other than noise and
snow. They were more likely to see “a
nonexistent embedded figure” in this situation
than if they had been presented with the TV
image earlier (Goldberg, 2013, pp.1–3).
Superstitions seem to be a desire for control or
the illusion of control because we human beings
generally don’t like to feel that things occur
capriciously rather, we want to believe that
there is a reason for things happening, and we
look for simple, causal relationships between
complex events.
