Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 2, No. 2, 2003, Page 47
Converts rearrange their peripheral beliefs and behaviors to make them more
consistent with the new set of assumptions and their derivative peripheral beliefs and
behaviors. Again, these actions frequently are accompanied by varying degrees of
social guidance and/or pressure. For example, accepting that ―guru is God‖ implies
obeying guru, even if his orders make no sense (―Whom am I to question God?‖).
Converts become comfortable with the new set of beliefs and behaviors and begin to
live according to them.
Other group members, sometimes without realizing it, provide rewards and
punishments that tend to strengthen new converts‘ loyalty to the group.
Converts become aware of inconsistencies, contradictions, abuses, or failed
predictions within the group or organization.
Normal cognitive dissonance processes combined with group pressures cause the
member to search for rationalizations to explain away these disturbing discrepancies.
So many disturbing discrepancies accumulate that, as one ex-member put it, the
shelf of rationalization on which they were placed collapses.
Members once again begin to reconsider fundamental assumptions only this time
they reconsider the assumptions, the ruling propositions, of the group to which they
had claimed allegiance, sometimes for many years. Support from family, friends, or
professionals can sometimes facilitate such reevaluation and a decision to leave the
group.
This process can sometimes be painfully disillusioning to group members or former group
members, who may be reluctant to ―trust,‖ to attribute credibility to future spiritual
experiences (Lucas, 2003). Although models that stress manipulation may apply to some
such cases, they do not necessarily apply. And even when they do, the individual‘s inner
experiences, which affect what he or she believes, are likely to have had a profound
impact. This impact and its implications should be addressed when trying to help former
group members adjust to life outside the group.
References
Ansbacher, H., &Ansbacher, R. (Eds.). (1979). Superiority and social interest: A collection
of later writings [of Alfred Adler], 3rd revised edition. New York: Norton.
Beck, A. T. (1979). Cognitive therapy of depression. New York: Guilford Press.
Compact Edition of the Oxford English Dictionary. (1971). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Ellis, A., &Harper, R.A. (1975). A new guide to rational living. Englewood Cliffs, NJ:
Prentice-Hall.
Festinger, L. (1957). A theory of cognitive dissonance. Stanford: Stanford University Press.
Lucas, P. (2003). Spiritual harm in new religions: Reflections on interviews with former
members of NRMs. Cultic Studies Review (1) – www.culticstudiesreview.org.
Zablocki, B. (2001). Towards a demystified and disinterested scientific theory of
brainwashing. In B. Zablocki &T. Robbins (Eds.), Misunderstanding cults: Searching
for objectivity in a controversial field, pp. 159-214. Toronto: University of Toronto
Press.
This material was originally prepared for a presentation at AFF‘s annual conference, June
14-15, 2002, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Orlando (FL) Airport.
This article is an electronic version of an article originally published in Cultic Studies Review, 2003, Volume 2,
Number 2, pages 169-177. Please keep in mind that the pagination of this electronic reprint differs from that of the
bound volume. This fact could affect how you enter bibliographic information in papers that you may write.
Converts rearrange their peripheral beliefs and behaviors to make them more
consistent with the new set of assumptions and their derivative peripheral beliefs and
behaviors. Again, these actions frequently are accompanied by varying degrees of
social guidance and/or pressure. For example, accepting that ―guru is God‖ implies
obeying guru, even if his orders make no sense (―Whom am I to question God?‖).
Converts become comfortable with the new set of beliefs and behaviors and begin to
live according to them.
Other group members, sometimes without realizing it, provide rewards and
punishments that tend to strengthen new converts‘ loyalty to the group.
Converts become aware of inconsistencies, contradictions, abuses, or failed
predictions within the group or organization.
Normal cognitive dissonance processes combined with group pressures cause the
member to search for rationalizations to explain away these disturbing discrepancies.
So many disturbing discrepancies accumulate that, as one ex-member put it, the
shelf of rationalization on which they were placed collapses.
Members once again begin to reconsider fundamental assumptions only this time
they reconsider the assumptions, the ruling propositions, of the group to which they
had claimed allegiance, sometimes for many years. Support from family, friends, or
professionals can sometimes facilitate such reevaluation and a decision to leave the
group.
This process can sometimes be painfully disillusioning to group members or former group
members, who may be reluctant to ―trust,‖ to attribute credibility to future spiritual
experiences (Lucas, 2003). Although models that stress manipulation may apply to some
such cases, they do not necessarily apply. And even when they do, the individual‘s inner
experiences, which affect what he or she believes, are likely to have had a profound
impact. This impact and its implications should be addressed when trying to help former
group members adjust to life outside the group.
References
Ansbacher, H., &Ansbacher, R. (Eds.). (1979). Superiority and social interest: A collection
of later writings [of Alfred Adler], 3rd revised edition. New York: Norton.
Beck, A. T. (1979). Cognitive therapy of depression. New York: Guilford Press.
Compact Edition of the Oxford English Dictionary. (1971). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Ellis, A., &Harper, R.A. (1975). A new guide to rational living. Englewood Cliffs, NJ:
Prentice-Hall.
Festinger, L. (1957). A theory of cognitive dissonance. Stanford: Stanford University Press.
Lucas, P. (2003). Spiritual harm in new religions: Reflections on interviews with former
members of NRMs. Cultic Studies Review (1) – www.culticstudiesreview.org.
Zablocki, B. (2001). Towards a demystified and disinterested scientific theory of
brainwashing. In B. Zablocki &T. Robbins (Eds.), Misunderstanding cults: Searching
for objectivity in a controversial field, pp. 159-214. Toronto: University of Toronto
Press.
This material was originally prepared for a presentation at AFF‘s annual conference, June
14-15, 2002, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Orlando (FL) Airport.
This article is an electronic version of an article originally published in Cultic Studies Review, 2003, Volume 2,
Number 2, pages 169-177. Please keep in mind that the pagination of this electronic reprint differs from that of the
bound volume. This fact could affect how you enter bibliographic information in papers that you may write.
