International Journal of Cultic Studies Vol. 4, 2013 1
Preliminary Taxonomy of Psychological Abuse Strategies: Within Partner
Relationships, at the Workplace, and in Manipulative Groups
Álvaro Rodríguez-Carballeira,1, 2 Carmen Almendros,3 Jordi Escartín,1, 2 Clara Porrúa,1 Javier
Martín-Peña,4 Federico Javaloy,1 and José Antonio Carrobles3
1 Social Psychology Department, Psychology Faculty, University of Barcelona (UB) 2 Institute for
Brain, Cognition and Behavior (IR3C) (UB) 3 Biological and Health Psychology Department,
Psychology Faculty, Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM) 4 University of Zaragoza
Abstract
Based on a review of the literature on
psychological violence or abuse, the authors
make an approach to its definition. They analyze
three different settings in which such violence
takes place in order to study the similarities and
differences in psychologically abusive
behaviours. Specifically, they study
psychological abuse as it takes form within
manipulative groups such as coercive cults, in
partner violence settings, and at the workplace
(workplace bullying or mobbing). After an
extensive analysis of existing research and
instruments related to the issue, and from a
psychosocial approach, they propose three new
classifications of psychological abuse strategies,
one for each context. Comparative analyses
show an important parallel between the
strategies used in the three settings, especially
between those employed for the submission of a
cult member and the ones used for submission
between the couples.
Key words: psychological abuse, categorization,
partner abuse, manipulative groups, cults,
workplace bullying, mobbing
Note: This work was supported by the Spanish
Ministry of Science and Innovation (Grant
PSI2010-16098).
The study of aggression and violence is one of
the traditional research topics in social
psychology and in the social sciences in general.
That research has been characterized by
focusing mainly on physical aggression, while
analyzing the effects, consequences, or
psychological damages caused by this
aggression. In the past two decades, we have
seen a marked increase in scientific research on
psychological aggression, in association with the
increased social relevance of the matter in the
Western world. This relevance runs in parallel
with a greater social awareness in respect for
human rights in general, and specifically with
the fight for women’s equal rights and with
claims of nondiscriminatory treatment to less
socially protected minorities. We can find some
examples of the social relevance of aggression
or psychological abuse behaviors in the areas of
partner violence, workplace violence (workplace
bullying or mobbing), violence at schools
(bullying), or in manipulative groups, such as so-
called coercive cults.
In general, research done on aggression or
psychological abuse has centered on one of these
areas of application. The focus of this study is
aimed at analyzing psychological abuse as a
unique phenomenon with its own characteristics
and that shows common elements in the
different areas of application, as well as
differential elements that distinguish and define
this abuse in each of these areas. This study
includes a brief review of the research on the
assessment of psychological abuse performed in
the areas of coercive cults, partner violence, and
workplace bullying or mobbing. Following this
review of psychological abuse and how to
evaluate it in the three areas, the objective of the
study is to propose a new categorization of
psychological-abuse components for each of the
three areas, and to assert that the phenomenon in
each area has a common base.
On Defining the Scope of Psychological
Abuse
The limited attention given to the study of
psychological aggression in the scientific
literature also leads us to see some lack of
maturity or some conceptual confusion about it.
Preliminary Taxonomy of Psychological Abuse Strategies: Within Partner
Relationships, at the Workplace, and in Manipulative Groups
Álvaro Rodríguez-Carballeira,1, 2 Carmen Almendros,3 Jordi Escartín,1, 2 Clara Porrúa,1 Javier
Martín-Peña,4 Federico Javaloy,1 and José Antonio Carrobles3
1 Social Psychology Department, Psychology Faculty, University of Barcelona (UB) 2 Institute for
Brain, Cognition and Behavior (IR3C) (UB) 3 Biological and Health Psychology Department,
Psychology Faculty, Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM) 4 University of Zaragoza
Abstract
Based on a review of the literature on
psychological violence or abuse, the authors
make an approach to its definition. They analyze
three different settings in which such violence
takes place in order to study the similarities and
differences in psychologically abusive
behaviours. Specifically, they study
psychological abuse as it takes form within
manipulative groups such as coercive cults, in
partner violence settings, and at the workplace
(workplace bullying or mobbing). After an
extensive analysis of existing research and
instruments related to the issue, and from a
psychosocial approach, they propose three new
classifications of psychological abuse strategies,
one for each context. Comparative analyses
show an important parallel between the
strategies used in the three settings, especially
between those employed for the submission of a
cult member and the ones used for submission
between the couples.
Key words: psychological abuse, categorization,
partner abuse, manipulative groups, cults,
workplace bullying, mobbing
Note: This work was supported by the Spanish
Ministry of Science and Innovation (Grant
PSI2010-16098).
The study of aggression and violence is one of
the traditional research topics in social
psychology and in the social sciences in general.
That research has been characterized by
focusing mainly on physical aggression, while
analyzing the effects, consequences, or
psychological damages caused by this
aggression. In the past two decades, we have
seen a marked increase in scientific research on
psychological aggression, in association with the
increased social relevance of the matter in the
Western world. This relevance runs in parallel
with a greater social awareness in respect for
human rights in general, and specifically with
the fight for women’s equal rights and with
claims of nondiscriminatory treatment to less
socially protected minorities. We can find some
examples of the social relevance of aggression
or psychological abuse behaviors in the areas of
partner violence, workplace violence (workplace
bullying or mobbing), violence at schools
(bullying), or in manipulative groups, such as so-
called coercive cults.
In general, research done on aggression or
psychological abuse has centered on one of these
areas of application. The focus of this study is
aimed at analyzing psychological abuse as a
unique phenomenon with its own characteristics
and that shows common elements in the
different areas of application, as well as
differential elements that distinguish and define
this abuse in each of these areas. This study
includes a brief review of the research on the
assessment of psychological abuse performed in
the areas of coercive cults, partner violence, and
workplace bullying or mobbing. Following this
review of psychological abuse and how to
evaluate it in the three areas, the objective of the
study is to propose a new categorization of
psychological-abuse components for each of the
three areas, and to assert that the phenomenon in
each area has a common base.
On Defining the Scope of Psychological
Abuse
The limited attention given to the study of
psychological aggression in the scientific
literature also leads us to see some lack of
maturity or some conceptual confusion about it.
