Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 2 No. 1 1985, Page 38
6. Perception difficulties--Although stage two may bring on these difficulties if the pre-
cult personality was that of schizophrenia or borderline personality disorder, initial
post-deprogramming does see some ex-cultists with AFF suggested this
phenomenon is possibly the result of .‖a continuation of obsessional thinking
developed by conversion‖ (p. 21). Conway &Siegelinan (1978, p. 160+) suggested
it is more likely to occur In those coming out of a group which emphasized practices
tending to induce the delusional form of information disease where reality testing is
more impaired, e.g. the Divine Light Mission or Scientology. And Kirsch &Glass
(1977) saw it as the result of an inability of weak pre-cult ego boundaries to cope
with the unmerging of self-cult boundaries (post-est examples, p. 1257).
Although almost all ex-cultists suffer from dedifferentiation of reality frames, this
ego impairment apparently results in perceptual difficulties of a hallucinatory
nature in only a few.
Physical Appearance
While no one has presented a systematic picture of cultists‘ physical appearance, the
literature does suggest that the cult-induced dissociation and/or cult practices of poor diet,
health neglect, and lack of medical attention do result in certain specific physiological
changes In cult devotees: the celebrated ―glassy-eyed‖ look (AFF Conway &Siegelman,
1978 Edwards, 1979 Levine, 1979 Singer, 1978 Spero, 1977, 1980, 1982 West &
Singer, 1980), hormonal changes such as loss of beard and vocal changes in men and
cessation of menstruation In women (Clark, 1979a, 1979b Conway Stegelman, 1978
Enroth, 1977 MacCollam, 1979 Stoner Parke, 1977), and ―wild alterations of weight,
appetites, energy levels, and sexual functions‖ (Clark, 1979b, cf. lethargy in ex-cultists:
AFF Singer, 1979 Stoner Parke, 1977, p. 415 West &Singer, 1980, pp. 3249-3250).
AFF suggested ex-cultists frequently look depressed and usually present themselves with
rigid, stooped posture, slow speech and slow response to external stimuli, ―fixed, intense
focus in the eyes‖ with rigid facial expression, and many times ―an apparent indifference to
physical appearance--dress and grooming!‘ with pale and often acne-blemished facial
complexions (pp. 18-19).
The Goldbergs would apparently concur, as indicated by their observation that ―physical
demeanor often bespeaks their cult,‖ e.g., many ―keep their heads bowed and speak in a
quiet, meek manner‖ (p. 167). Further in agreement with AFF, the Goldbergs noted first-
stage speech as ―monotonous, colorless, and halting‖ (p. 167), as well as the fact that
―almost all the ex-cultists appear to be much younger than their chronological age and
display an asexual innocence‖ (p. 167). During initial post-deprogramming ex-cultists lose
many of the physical problems brought on by the cult-induced dissociation. Thus, according
to the Goldbergs, menstruation and the growth of beards resume at a normal pace of
hormonal activity, and it may be assumed that the glassy-eyed look of the ex-cultists
apparently disappears along with the demise of floating.
Affect
Spero‘s (1982) psychological testing of 65 cultists reflected two basic personality patterns
which showed two opposite ways of handling affect: a) the inhibition of most emotional
processes with constricted cognitive processes, or b) ―a manic denial of depressive trends‖
with emotional lability (p. 339). Both patterns, however, remained overly disinhibited in
polarized guilt and anxiety.
Spero thought that the manic profile might be ―merely another side of the constricted
profile, (since)...‖even constricted cult personalities undergo a manic phase during recovery
as the subject attempts to deal with increasingly painful object loss following deidealization
of the cult leader, group identity, or the therapist, and also because of the marked evidence
6. Perception difficulties--Although stage two may bring on these difficulties if the pre-
cult personality was that of schizophrenia or borderline personality disorder, initial
post-deprogramming does see some ex-cultists with AFF suggested this
phenomenon is possibly the result of .‖a continuation of obsessional thinking
developed by conversion‖ (p. 21). Conway &Siegelinan (1978, p. 160+) suggested
it is more likely to occur In those coming out of a group which emphasized practices
tending to induce the delusional form of information disease where reality testing is
more impaired, e.g. the Divine Light Mission or Scientology. And Kirsch &Glass
(1977) saw it as the result of an inability of weak pre-cult ego boundaries to cope
with the unmerging of self-cult boundaries (post-est examples, p. 1257).
Although almost all ex-cultists suffer from dedifferentiation of reality frames, this
ego impairment apparently results in perceptual difficulties of a hallucinatory
nature in only a few.
Physical Appearance
While no one has presented a systematic picture of cultists‘ physical appearance, the
literature does suggest that the cult-induced dissociation and/or cult practices of poor diet,
health neglect, and lack of medical attention do result in certain specific physiological
changes In cult devotees: the celebrated ―glassy-eyed‖ look (AFF Conway &Siegelman,
1978 Edwards, 1979 Levine, 1979 Singer, 1978 Spero, 1977, 1980, 1982 West &
Singer, 1980), hormonal changes such as loss of beard and vocal changes in men and
cessation of menstruation In women (Clark, 1979a, 1979b Conway Stegelman, 1978
Enroth, 1977 MacCollam, 1979 Stoner Parke, 1977), and ―wild alterations of weight,
appetites, energy levels, and sexual functions‖ (Clark, 1979b, cf. lethargy in ex-cultists:
AFF Singer, 1979 Stoner Parke, 1977, p. 415 West &Singer, 1980, pp. 3249-3250).
AFF suggested ex-cultists frequently look depressed and usually present themselves with
rigid, stooped posture, slow speech and slow response to external stimuli, ―fixed, intense
focus in the eyes‖ with rigid facial expression, and many times ―an apparent indifference to
physical appearance--dress and grooming!‘ with pale and often acne-blemished facial
complexions (pp. 18-19).
The Goldbergs would apparently concur, as indicated by their observation that ―physical
demeanor often bespeaks their cult,‖ e.g., many ―keep their heads bowed and speak in a
quiet, meek manner‖ (p. 167). Further in agreement with AFF, the Goldbergs noted first-
stage speech as ―monotonous, colorless, and halting‖ (p. 167), as well as the fact that
―almost all the ex-cultists appear to be much younger than their chronological age and
display an asexual innocence‖ (p. 167). During initial post-deprogramming ex-cultists lose
many of the physical problems brought on by the cult-induced dissociation. Thus, according
to the Goldbergs, menstruation and the growth of beards resume at a normal pace of
hormonal activity, and it may be assumed that the glassy-eyed look of the ex-cultists
apparently disappears along with the demise of floating.
Affect
Spero‘s (1982) psychological testing of 65 cultists reflected two basic personality patterns
which showed two opposite ways of handling affect: a) the inhibition of most emotional
processes with constricted cognitive processes, or b) ―a manic denial of depressive trends‖
with emotional lability (p. 339). Both patterns, however, remained overly disinhibited in
polarized guilt and anxiety.
Spero thought that the manic profile might be ―merely another side of the constricted
profile, (since)...‖even constricted cult personalities undergo a manic phase during recovery
as the subject attempts to deal with increasingly painful object loss following deidealization
of the cult leader, group identity, or the therapist, and also because of the marked evidence
