A common issue for former participants of cult / LGAT groups is the inability to stop using the jargon or key words that have either loaded meaning or a redefined meaning.

I will speak of Landmark's lexicon as I know this....

Landmark use a series of common english words that have redefined meanings. Below is a thread on these words specific to Landmark.

So why is it a problem for the recovering participant to eliminate the use of these words?

:idea: I stumbled across this reference on "Interference Theory":
In retroactive interference, new learning interferes with the retrieval of old learning. For example, a medical student may memorize the names of the bones in the leg through rote repetition. later, he or she may find that learning the names of the bones in the arms makes it more difficult to retrieve the names of the leg bones, especially if the names are similar in sound or in relative location on each limb"[/color:02f8722387]
(Rathus, S.A. 2004, Psychology Concepts and Connections, brief version (7th edn) New York Uni: Thompson Wadsworth, p277)

Translating to Landmark, using the example of the word, "enrol", the word has a new loaded meaning when applied to joining a landmark class. The word is then repeatedly used by the participant in other areas of reference as it overides other more suitable at the time words such as join, enter, enlist, apply etc. In affect, the participant's vocabulary has been reduced by applying a new meaning to a common word which causes interference in the recall of more suitable words for the situation that have been learned over the course of the person's life.

A method of overcoming retroactive interference in this case may be to:
1. Write down all cult words with their newly learned definitions
2. Look up a dictionary for the correct definition of the word and write that down
3. Look up a Thesaurus for alternative words that can be used and write those down.

This method will induce what is called "Proactive Interference" being the reverse of "Retroactive Interference" causing an override of the cultic words and meanings stored in memory.

Any thoughts?

[b:02f8722387]A dictionary of LEC jargon and thought-stopping cliches? [/b:02f8722387]

[board.culteducation.com]



Oz

I know what you mean. I sometimes worry that I have some residual programming left over from Landmark. I'm just hoping that time will erase any of that stuff from me, or at least make it dormant. The loaded language wore off pretty quickly for me, I find that it is the circular logic and thought stopping processes that tend to hang around.