zeuszor:

Milgram and Zimbardo represent one piece of understanding cults and how they work.

There is actually quite a bit more than any single "trinity" when it comes to understanding cult dynamics and how leaders manipulate people.

Lifton, Singer and Ofshe are another trio of highly regarded sources concerning groups called "cults".

There is also the research of communication experts Flo Conway and Jim Siegelman in their seminal book "Snapping", which now has a second edition.

"Influence" techniques are also discussed in considerable depth by Robert Cialdini.

Janja Lalich has also written some excellent books, such as "Bounded Choice" and "Take Back Your Life".

Singer's book "Cults in Our Midst" remains a good foundation for unraveling the methodology and group dynamics of cults. She cites Lifton and Edgar Schein and demonstrates how their research converges regarding coercive persuasion or thought reform techniques.

See [www.culteducation.com]

Note the distinctions Singer makes between various forms of persuasion such as education, advertising, propaganda, indoctrination and thought reform.

Thankfully there are many sources for helpful information.

Part of getting out of the cultic mindset is realizing how many alternate sources of information exist and not being too dependent on a single frame of reference.

There is also much anecdotal information from former cult members describing their past lives and explaining the control that was once exercised over them within various groups.

See [www.culteducation.com]

The Ross Institute Links page contains many links to such sources and many other useful links to other related Web sites.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/09/2012 03:19AM by rrmoderator.

When Prophecy Fails (1956) by Leon Festinger is a good read, too. Festiger coined the term "cognitive dissonance".

zeuszor:

Yes.

This can be specifically relevant when examining doomsday groups, i.e. why do people stay after the prophecy fails.

That is, coupled with an understanding of what Conway and Siegelman have researched, e.g. information and emotional control.

It is much easier to spin and/or reinforce cognitive dissonance when there are controls in place, such as meaningful access to outside information. Lifton explains this within his discussion of milieu control, i.e. control of the environment.

See [www.culteducation.com]

But the McKay group doesn't seem to be hung on any particular doomsday date or prophetic prediction.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/01/2012 03:47AM by rrmoderator.

No, but cognitive dissonance and the consequent self-justification of one's own behavior in order to reduce this dissonance (and thereby create consonance, so that one's positive-self-image is maintained) is the basic psychological principle that helps to entangle people into these situational traps that abusive and controlling groups are.

In this vein, Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me): Why We Justify Foolish Beliefs, Bad Decisions, and Hurtful Acts by Tavris and Aaronson (2008) is well worth reading, too. It's one of my favorite books, actually.

zeuszor:

No not really.

You are isolating information without taking into consideration the full extent of the existing research reegarding cultic behavior as previously cited and/or linked.

This thread is about Dave McKay and his group, not about your "favorite books", whatever they may be.

Congratulations on your degree.

But the discussion here is straying off topic.

Please stay on topic.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/01/2012 03:49AM by rrmoderator.

Quote
rrmoderator
zeuszor:

No not really.

You are isolating information without taking into consideration the full extent of the existing research reegarding cultic behavior and its context as previously cited and/or linked.

This thread is about Dave McKay and his group, not about your "favorite books", whatever they may be.

Congratulations on your degree.

But the discussion here is straying off topic.

Please stay on topic.

Yes: quite really, Rick. I know what I am talking about.

Look at "Behavioral Psychology", "Confessions of a Manipulator", and "Manipulating" to better understand how DM has studied the dissonance-consonance principle and uses it to manipluate others. He's studied this stuff, same as I have.

zeuszor:

There you go again.

This thread is not about you, your approach to cult issues, opinions of research, etc.

Please either stay on topic or start another thread with another topic and post there.

Of course the thread is not about me, RR.

I am posting DM's own writings.

[web.archive.org]

zeuszor:

See [forum.culteducation.com]

There you go again.

You are posting McKay's comments for the purpose of offering your own spin about cult behavior.

But that's not what this thread is about.

This is not a thread about theories and research concerning cult dynamics, it's about a single group and its leader.

Stay on topic.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/11/2012 02:19AM by rrmoderator.

JosDav,

What can you tell us about your departure from the cult?