Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 5, No. 6, 2006, Page 29
the nearly 1,000 people in the Jim Jones cult in Africa who were compelled by Jim Jones to
drink poisoned Kool-Aid. These family-member survivors have been so affected by the loss
of their loved ones that even years later they continue to meet and discuss their losses of
family members and friends. Recently, a group of the survivors got together and wrote and
produced a play to commemorate the loss of all of the Jonestown cult members (Nakoa, San
Francisco Chronicle, Section E, April 14, 2005, pp. 1–2). Studies of individuals who
exhibited psychopathic traits, such as the cult leader Jim Jones, reveal persons who
apparently lack the ability to experience genuine empathy for others. Also, these individuals
seem not to be able to use emotional feedback from others to alter their life course.
However, what makes such psychopaths dangerous to society is that even though they
apparently possesses a defective empathy, they are still able to intellectually analyze the
emotional makeup of other people, and then turn that understanding to a deadly
advantage.
For example, psychopaths may borrow and use up another person‘s finances for their own
immediate wants and needs without later returning the borrowed money or, in a similar
way, they may sexually take advantage of people, and then after they have sated their
animal urges, they sever the relationship with no thought of the other person. It has been
found that during the course of a lifetime the psychopathic personality changes very little.
But that at about age 40, the psychopath tends to become less active in terms of violent
criminal activities, yet he still continues to act in a very self-focused and destructive manner
even into the later years of life (Hare, 1993, p. 97). Unfortunately, psychopaths and
antisocials seek out and prey on the weak and the needy, and one place they may go is into
a cult, which contains vulnerable people.
Cult Leader Behaviors Within the Cult
When an antisocial or psychopath decides to enter a cult, a power struggle might be
initiated with existing leadership. The antisocial cult leader may cultivate a ―cadre‖ of fellow
travelers who will readily support the leader‘s every action. The antisocial cult leader
grooms people who will reflect his or her own core beliefs and desires. Such a leader might
exhibit a superficial, glib manner that clashes with the more open and honest personality
style of most ―normals‖ in a cult. In contrast to cult leaders, ―normals‖ are usually more
characterized by genuine, open communication and a desire for growing relational depth
with others not based on merely ulterior motives. Normals who enter a cult may find to
their dismay that they either must leave the cult (and it is estimated that about 10% of cult
members do leave very soon after they join) or accept the leadership style of the cult
leader.
After the cult leader consolidates his authority by means of manipulative tactics, anything
might happen. One ex-cult member related that the requested surrender to the cult leader
and the cult‘s ideology and practices was accompanied by demands for ‗submission‘ to the
leader. Submission in a cult may be accompanied by loss of autonomy in areas of life
previously under personal control, such as the ability to visit family and friends ―outside‖ the
cult, the loss of personal freedom of movement, and the requirement of daily disciplines
such as incessant chanting, fasting, or doing tedious religious ―ceremonies.‖
In addition, well-documented accounts by cult members describe more extreme measures.
Experiences of psychological intimidation, as well as incidents of sexual and physical abuse,
are also reported by cult members. As a result of abusive treatment inflicted by cult leaders,
ex-cult members might exhibit psychological symptoms such as dissociation, derealization,
depersonalization, and depression. The psychological defense of dissociation is thought to
exist as an inborn personality survival mechanism that is normally in a dormant state in the
individual and is triggered only by conditions of extreme trauma and stress. For example,
the nearly 1,000 people in the Jim Jones cult in Africa who were compelled by Jim Jones to
drink poisoned Kool-Aid. These family-member survivors have been so affected by the loss
of their loved ones that even years later they continue to meet and discuss their losses of
family members and friends. Recently, a group of the survivors got together and wrote and
produced a play to commemorate the loss of all of the Jonestown cult members (Nakoa, San
Francisco Chronicle, Section E, April 14, 2005, pp. 1–2). Studies of individuals who
exhibited psychopathic traits, such as the cult leader Jim Jones, reveal persons who
apparently lack the ability to experience genuine empathy for others. Also, these individuals
seem not to be able to use emotional feedback from others to alter their life course.
However, what makes such psychopaths dangerous to society is that even though they
apparently possesses a defective empathy, they are still able to intellectually analyze the
emotional makeup of other people, and then turn that understanding to a deadly
advantage.
For example, psychopaths may borrow and use up another person‘s finances for their own
immediate wants and needs without later returning the borrowed money or, in a similar
way, they may sexually take advantage of people, and then after they have sated their
animal urges, they sever the relationship with no thought of the other person. It has been
found that during the course of a lifetime the psychopathic personality changes very little.
But that at about age 40, the psychopath tends to become less active in terms of violent
criminal activities, yet he still continues to act in a very self-focused and destructive manner
even into the later years of life (Hare, 1993, p. 97). Unfortunately, psychopaths and
antisocials seek out and prey on the weak and the needy, and one place they may go is into
a cult, which contains vulnerable people.
Cult Leader Behaviors Within the Cult
When an antisocial or psychopath decides to enter a cult, a power struggle might be
initiated with existing leadership. The antisocial cult leader may cultivate a ―cadre‖ of fellow
travelers who will readily support the leader‘s every action. The antisocial cult leader
grooms people who will reflect his or her own core beliefs and desires. Such a leader might
exhibit a superficial, glib manner that clashes with the more open and honest personality
style of most ―normals‖ in a cult. In contrast to cult leaders, ―normals‖ are usually more
characterized by genuine, open communication and a desire for growing relational depth
with others not based on merely ulterior motives. Normals who enter a cult may find to
their dismay that they either must leave the cult (and it is estimated that about 10% of cult
members do leave very soon after they join) or accept the leadership style of the cult
leader.
After the cult leader consolidates his authority by means of manipulative tactics, anything
might happen. One ex-cult member related that the requested surrender to the cult leader
and the cult‘s ideology and practices was accompanied by demands for ‗submission‘ to the
leader. Submission in a cult may be accompanied by loss of autonomy in areas of life
previously under personal control, such as the ability to visit family and friends ―outside‖ the
cult, the loss of personal freedom of movement, and the requirement of daily disciplines
such as incessant chanting, fasting, or doing tedious religious ―ceremonies.‖
In addition, well-documented accounts by cult members describe more extreme measures.
Experiences of psychological intimidation, as well as incidents of sexual and physical abuse,
are also reported by cult members. As a result of abusive treatment inflicted by cult leaders,
ex-cult members might exhibit psychological symptoms such as dissociation, derealization,
depersonalization, and depression. The psychological defense of dissociation is thought to
exist as an inborn personality survival mechanism that is normally in a dormant state in the
individual and is triggered only by conditions of extreme trauma and stress. For example,
