Ofshe's and Singer's "Attacks on Peripheral versus Central Elements of Self and the Impact of Thought Reforming Techniques" (1986) is one of the most edifying and significant papers ever written on 20th century "thought reform." Sensing that it provides an excellent foundation for explaining not only the newer techniques of coercive persuasion, but also that such pr
Forum: Coercive Persuasion and Undue Influence

Ofshe's and Singer's "Attacks on Peripheral versus Central Elements of Self and the Impact of Thought Reforming Techniques" (1986) is one of the most edifying and significant papers ever written on 20th century "thought reform." Sensing that it provides an excellent foundation for explaining not only the newer techniques of coercive persuasion, but also that such pr
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

TYVM for your work. Understanding the mechanisms that induce the stress that leads to neural network rewiring is very useful for those developing medicinal and psychotherapeutic treatment strategies. Any comments you may have on the following will be appreciated. http://pairadocks.blogspot.com/2018/03/can-people-truly-recover-from-cult.html
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I'll post here what I did over on reddit: I go all the way back to 1975 with Werner and his minions. Like the CoS, Landmark got into the "life-coaching" racket in the '90s, but it seems to me that it was one of the very earliest human potential cults to identify and pursue the "corporate culture change" market in the 1970s. I was sufficiently "taken" wit
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

http://pairadocks.blogspot.com/2017/01/standing-on-shoulders-of-those-who-have.html As I find more lists of cult characteristics from published experts like Steve Hassan, Irwin Yalom and Louis West, I continue to add them to a commentary of Richard Ofshe's bedrock piece on coercive persuasion. The citations and references, as well as the lists, may be of use to scholars developing new mat
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

http://pairadocks.blogspot.com/2018/04/defense-mechanisms-commonly-observed-in.html
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

http://pairadocks.blogspot.com/2016/08/understanding-co-dependence-as-soft.html
Forum: Abusive and Controlling Relationships

...as explained in Eric Fromm's Psychoanalysis and Religion http://pairadocks.blogspot.com/2018/03/the-unquestioned-power-of-priest-or-guru.html
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

A famed lecture from 30 years ago with a lot of research- and psych-ed-grounded commentary. http://pairadocks.blogspot.com/2018/03/psychiatric-casualties-of-thought.html
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

http://pairadocks.blogspot.com/2018/03/toshs-social-psychology-of-social.html
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

http://pairadocks.blogspot.com/2018/03/mechanisms-of-moral-disengagement-among.html
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

The original article has been updated to include more details on the actual method for getting out of the "box of belief" and into a orientation towards empirical observation sufficient to differentiate what actually is from all the what is actually not which has been indoctrinated, instructed, conditioned, programmed, socialized and normalized by the cult.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

http://pairadocks.blogspot.com/2018/03/can-people-truly-recover-from-cult.html
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

http://pairadocks.blogspot.com/2018/03/the-pyramid-model-psychodynamics-of.html
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Yes, but -- falling into two spectral (vs. absolutely polarized) categories (those who are still attached and committed vs. those who are detached and disgusted) -- there are two different approaches. Ross is himself a deprogrammer willing to do lengthy "rational exorcisms" with those who are still attached, committed and emotionally invested. And there are others out there using su
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

https://www.reddit.com/r/cults/comments/818dud/johnroger_the_unaccredited_university_of_santa/
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

See the new paper at... http://pairadocks.blogspot.com/2018/03/authoritarianism-affective-polarization_94.html
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

TM is a narrow focus meditation done with a repeated mantrum solely on the aural sensory channel. This is diametrically opposed to an open-awareness meditation (like Vipassana) that usually begins with paying attention to the breath, but then expands to paying attention to the entire body on any or all sensory channels, including whatever the mind has to say about the sensory experience. The awar
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

An extensive commentary on Ofshe (2000) based on psychodynamic, group dynamic, persuasion & influence, behavior modification, cognitive, social constructive and other well-researched psychological theories is offered at the link below.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Abstract Do the ideological and behavioral phenomena and dynamics of cults and terrorist organizations resemble each other? The simple answer is, "Very much so." Modern terrorist organizations like Al Queda, Boko Haram and ISIS are little more than cults dedicated to the cynically manipulated expression of what is likely identical to the abuse- and abandonment-conferred rage seen in
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Understanding Codependence as "Soft-Core" Cult Dynamics... ...and Cult Dynamics as "Hard-Core" Codependence An article informed by academic sociology and psychology at...
Forum: Abusive and Controlling Relationships

Understanding Codependence as "Soft-Core" Cult Dynamics... ...and Cult Dynamics as "Hard-Core" Codependence This is an article informed by academic sociology and psychology at...
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Understanding Codependence as "Soft-Core" Cult Dynamics... ...and Cult Dynamics as "Hard-Core" Codependence An article informed by academic sociology and psychology at...
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Understanding Codependence as "Soft-Core" Cult Dynamics... ...and Cult Dynamics as "Hard-Core" Codependence An article informed by academic sociology and psychology at...
Forum: Abusive and Controlling Relationships

Understanding Codependence as "Soft-Core" Cult Dynamics... ...and Cult Dynamics as "Hard-Core" Codependence An article informed by academic sociology and psychology at...
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"