An article I found very helpful when I first came to the board was this one:

[www.u.arizona.edu]

It describes the effect of the room setup in Landmark (same as in most lgats - to a T) and it really astounded me because I was totally unconscious of the effect of the physical room structure. I noticed it was a bit anal but I thought ah well, it takes all types. This article really illustrates how physical environments have an unconscious effect on the mind and emotions.

It has already been discussed on this board in several places, and is a bit of a heavy read, but I think its worth reviving in light of this topic.

The very fact that est, Landmark, Quest and no doubt most of the others copy the layout of chairs (measured to centimeters), position of pens on a table, etc shows how important it is to the manipulation.

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elena
Please state the exact claim you want scientific data to back up. We're all familiar with Milgram, Festinger, and Zimbardo here. Are you?

Also, Cialdini's "Influence" is a good basic text on the subject.

It always cracks me up when cult members and cult apologists, (not saying you are one -- I don't know), come up with these demands for "scientific" proof of the statements of their critics, all the while adhering to various bizzaro-world "philosophies" and religions with unquestioning devotion and blind fealty.

Here's a clue, "disconnect:"

Just 'cause they put "science" in the name don't make it scientific. There's nothing scientific about scientology, there's no technology in the Landmark schtick, and Christian Science is neither Christian nor science.



Ellen

[www.csj.org]

Thanks, Eleen. That was exactally what I was wondering. It seemed fishy to me at first that there was so much doubt about the various LGATs, yet "covert persuasion" required very little proof to be accepted on these forums. However, I did not know about Zimbardo and those others, so it makes a little more sense to me now :)

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Just 'cause they put "science" in the name don't make it scientific. There's nothing scientific about scientology, there's no technology in the Landmark schtick, and Christian Science is neither Christian nor science.

Probably the best kept secrets of the above cults! Talk about hiding in plain sight.