Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 5, No. 1 1988 Page 39
found cheese in one of a number of tunnels, but discovers it is not there one day, it will look in
the other tunnels. The human being, however, looking for love and finding it in the same place for
a long period of time, will keep looking in the place where he found it previously, rather than
check the other ―tunnels.‖
Such a story implicitly brings into question the reliability of science, because it implies (even
though it may be a scientifically false story) that experimentation with animals in the science of
psychology really doesn't tell us how the mind operates. If the trainer can get people to question
the authorities on which they base their view of the world, he is more likely to get them to throw
out their ―old ideas‖ and replace them with a completely new model for analyzing experience.
The trainer I observed used another manipulative technique. Human behavior which was
previously acceptable to participants was put into question much in the same way that science
was questioned. The trainer asked participants to help him make a list of ―ways to avoid‖ and
―ways to create value.‖ However, the ―ways to avoid‖ encompassed a very large set of human
activities, for example, sleeping, eating, watching TV, working, drinking, and talking. When
previously acceptable behavior is termed ―avoidance,‖ acceptance for new, strange behavior can
be strengthened. Further, as Haaken and Adams state in an article about a prominent self-
transformation training, ―By the device of identifying resistances as ―ways of avoiding,
―participants‖ questions, doubts, and concerns were labeled as obstacles to personal growth.‖ (3)
My subjects reported and I observed that throughout the training participants who raise
objections or are unsuccessful with an exercise are often intimidated and ridiculed. Eventually,
the trainer seems to break down the participants' ability to analyze and seems to discourage their
interest in raising objections. Later, the participants may try harder to make the exercises ―work‖
for them, so as not to be intimidated or ridiculed. This behavior may reflect what psychologists
call cognitive dissonance, the tendency to alter discrepancies between attitudes and behavior.
Cognitive dissonance, by the way, will also incline participants to feel positively about the trainer
in order to justify to themselves their considerable investment of money, time, and emotion in
the program.
This intimidation is similar to, though sometimes more assaultive than, a technique I might
use in my performance of mentalism, when I encounter someone who is not going along with
the ESP illusions. I might kid him in a friendly way to quiet him down and continue with the
performance. The trainer whom I observed on my first night of the basic training was
masterful at intimidating those who raised objections, without the friendliness.
In addition, the training isolates participants from their normal environments for three long
evenings and two full days on the weekend. They are even given homework. If the participants
also have nine to five jobs, it makes it difficult for them to have time to themselves, or to get
adequate sleep. This may lead to a state of increased suggestibility in the participants, which
would make it easier to convince them that they were having an extraordinary experience of mind
reading in the intuition exercise.
Finally, in the session I attended, the trainer asks for commitment, likening it to a bar over your
lap on a roller coaster ride. This analogy implies that while the training might be fun at times, it
might also seem dangerous, but like a roller coaster ride, it will not really be dangerous. The only
possible danger is not putting on your seat belt, or in the case of the training, making a full
commitment. Later, this concept can help to make the intuition exercise work. Stopping to
analyze what is really going on may be seen as not making the full commitment. Analysis is thus
discouraged and even seen as potentially dangerous.
found cheese in one of a number of tunnels, but discovers it is not there one day, it will look in
the other tunnels. The human being, however, looking for love and finding it in the same place for
a long period of time, will keep looking in the place where he found it previously, rather than
check the other ―tunnels.‖
Such a story implicitly brings into question the reliability of science, because it implies (even
though it may be a scientifically false story) that experimentation with animals in the science of
psychology really doesn't tell us how the mind operates. If the trainer can get people to question
the authorities on which they base their view of the world, he is more likely to get them to throw
out their ―old ideas‖ and replace them with a completely new model for analyzing experience.
The trainer I observed used another manipulative technique. Human behavior which was
previously acceptable to participants was put into question much in the same way that science
was questioned. The trainer asked participants to help him make a list of ―ways to avoid‖ and
―ways to create value.‖ However, the ―ways to avoid‖ encompassed a very large set of human
activities, for example, sleeping, eating, watching TV, working, drinking, and talking. When
previously acceptable behavior is termed ―avoidance,‖ acceptance for new, strange behavior can
be strengthened. Further, as Haaken and Adams state in an article about a prominent self-
transformation training, ―By the device of identifying resistances as ―ways of avoiding,
―participants‖ questions, doubts, and concerns were labeled as obstacles to personal growth.‖ (3)
My subjects reported and I observed that throughout the training participants who raise
objections or are unsuccessful with an exercise are often intimidated and ridiculed. Eventually,
the trainer seems to break down the participants' ability to analyze and seems to discourage their
interest in raising objections. Later, the participants may try harder to make the exercises ―work‖
for them, so as not to be intimidated or ridiculed. This behavior may reflect what psychologists
call cognitive dissonance, the tendency to alter discrepancies between attitudes and behavior.
Cognitive dissonance, by the way, will also incline participants to feel positively about the trainer
in order to justify to themselves their considerable investment of money, time, and emotion in
the program.
This intimidation is similar to, though sometimes more assaultive than, a technique I might
use in my performance of mentalism, when I encounter someone who is not going along with
the ESP illusions. I might kid him in a friendly way to quiet him down and continue with the
performance. The trainer whom I observed on my first night of the basic training was
masterful at intimidating those who raised objections, without the friendliness.
In addition, the training isolates participants from their normal environments for three long
evenings and two full days on the weekend. They are even given homework. If the participants
also have nine to five jobs, it makes it difficult for them to have time to themselves, or to get
adequate sleep. This may lead to a state of increased suggestibility in the participants, which
would make it easier to convince them that they were having an extraordinary experience of mind
reading in the intuition exercise.
Finally, in the session I attended, the trainer asks for commitment, likening it to a bar over your
lap on a roller coaster ride. This analogy implies that while the training might be fun at times, it
might also seem dangerous, but like a roller coaster ride, it will not really be dangerous. The only
possible danger is not putting on your seat belt, or in the case of the training, making a full
commitment. Later, this concept can help to make the intuition exercise work. Stopping to
analyze what is really going on may be seen as not making the full commitment. Analysis is thus
discouraged and even seen as potentially dangerous.
