12 International Journal of Cultic Studies ■ Vol. 1, No. 1, 2010
even abhorrent. But human rights are not
divisible and just as I defend the right of
individuals to join groups I don’t agree with, I
also defend a person’s right not to be harmed or
do self-harm, and I defend our right to stop
someone from hurting others. Influence—at its
core our psychological processing and
understanding of the world around us—is
everywhere around us we see it, breathe it, and,
most importantly, we think it—it is us. Without
influence we wouldn’t be here, we wouldn’t
have grown up. Without it we wouldn’t make
mistakes but we also wouldn’t be able, with
reflection, to move on to better things—the
process of education that we are all familiar with
here. We must learn to treat influence with
respect, to realise its pitfalls as well as its
strengths it is our friend and it is our enemy. Let
us acquire the wisdom to recognise the
difference.
Selected References
Aronoff, J., Malinoski, P., &Lynn, S. (2000). “Are cultic
environments psychologically harmful?” Clinical Psychology
Review, 20(1), pp. 91–111.
Edwards, D., &Potter, J. (1992). Discursive psychology. London,
Sage.
Hassan, S. (1988). Combating cult mind control. Rochester, VT:
Park Street Press.
Laing, R. D., &Esterson, A. (1967). Sanity, madness and the
family. London, Harmondsworth: Pelican Books.
Lifton, R. J. (1961). Thought reform and the psychology of
totalism. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press.
Singer, M.T., &Lalich, J. (1995). Cults in our midst. San
Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Martin P. R., Langone, M. D., Dole, A. A., &Wiltrout, J. (1992).
“Post-cult symptoms as measured by the MCMI before and after
residential treatment.” Cultic Studies Journal, 9(2), pp. 219–250.
Turner, J. (1987). Rediscovering the social group: A self-
categorisation theory. Oxford, UK: Blackwells.
About the Author
Roderick Dubrow-Marshall, Ph.D., (Nottm) is
Pro Vice Chancellor (Student Experience) at the
University of Central Lancashire, UK. His
principal research is on social influence,
including the psychological effects of cultic
group membership, influence in organizational
settings, and the psychological processes
involved in social group identity and
prejudice. In 2006, he was awarded The Herbert
L. Rosedale Award, jointly with Dr. Paul
Martin, for their psychological research on
undue influence. He co-founded RETIRN/UK in
2004 where he is a consultant, helping
individuals and families who have been
adversely affected by destructive cults and other
extremist and high demand/manipulative groups
and attends as co-representative of RETIRN/UK
as correspondent to the General Assembly of
FECRIS (European Federation of Centres of
Research and Education on Sects). ).He is the
Chair of the Research Committee for
ICSA. (rdubrowm@glam.ac.uk)
(http://www.retirn.com)
even abhorrent. But human rights are not
divisible and just as I defend the right of
individuals to join groups I don’t agree with, I
also defend a person’s right not to be harmed or
do self-harm, and I defend our right to stop
someone from hurting others. Influence—at its
core our psychological processing and
understanding of the world around us—is
everywhere around us we see it, breathe it, and,
most importantly, we think it—it is us. Without
influence we wouldn’t be here, we wouldn’t
have grown up. Without it we wouldn’t make
mistakes but we also wouldn’t be able, with
reflection, to move on to better things—the
process of education that we are all familiar with
here. We must learn to treat influence with
respect, to realise its pitfalls as well as its
strengths it is our friend and it is our enemy. Let
us acquire the wisdom to recognise the
difference.
Selected References
Aronoff, J., Malinoski, P., &Lynn, S. (2000). “Are cultic
environments psychologically harmful?” Clinical Psychology
Review, 20(1), pp. 91–111.
Edwards, D., &Potter, J. (1992). Discursive psychology. London,
Sage.
Hassan, S. (1988). Combating cult mind control. Rochester, VT:
Park Street Press.
Laing, R. D., &Esterson, A. (1967). Sanity, madness and the
family. London, Harmondsworth: Pelican Books.
Lifton, R. J. (1961). Thought reform and the psychology of
totalism. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press.
Singer, M.T., &Lalich, J. (1995). Cults in our midst. San
Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Martin P. R., Langone, M. D., Dole, A. A., &Wiltrout, J. (1992).
“Post-cult symptoms as measured by the MCMI before and after
residential treatment.” Cultic Studies Journal, 9(2), pp. 219–250.
Turner, J. (1987). Rediscovering the social group: A self-
categorisation theory. Oxford, UK: Blackwells.
About the Author
Roderick Dubrow-Marshall, Ph.D., (Nottm) is
Pro Vice Chancellor (Student Experience) at the
University of Central Lancashire, UK. His
principal research is on social influence,
including the psychological effects of cultic
group membership, influence in organizational
settings, and the psychological processes
involved in social group identity and
prejudice. In 2006, he was awarded The Herbert
L. Rosedale Award, jointly with Dr. Paul
Martin, for their psychological research on
undue influence. He co-founded RETIRN/UK in
2004 where he is a consultant, helping
individuals and families who have been
adversely affected by destructive cults and other
extremist and high demand/manipulative groups
and attends as co-representative of RETIRN/UK
as correspondent to the General Assembly of
FECRIS (European Federation of Centres of
Research and Education on Sects). ).He is the
Chair of the Research Committee for
ICSA. (rdubrowm@glam.ac.uk)
(http://www.retirn.com)
