Warping Reality: Inside the Psychology of Cults

Thousands of cults exist in the world right now and they fall into five major categories: religious, political, self-help/pseudo therapy, commercial/business, and cults of personality. Explore seven of the most notorious cults in modern history—from NXIVM, most recently in the news, to the Peoples Temple, which culminated in the murder and suicide of 900 people.

Many scholars believe there is no clean and neat definition of a cult. Instead, you’ll learn why they judge eight specific characteristics of an organization as being on a spectrum of less cultish or more cultish. You’ll also meet two individuals, each of whom was in an organization for 10 years before recognizing it for what it was—a cult—and eventually leaving.

Stereotypes tell us that cult leaders are fanatical, evil, power-hungry, sex-obsessed men. Explore a more nuanced and expanded psychological profile of cult leaders. These are the personality traits or circumstances that contribute to the cult leaders’ rare ability to amass a loyal following and their malevolent mindset.

Learn how cult leaders take advantage of the kindness and sincerity of their recruits by using tactics of manipulation and indoctrination. After promising that the cult will provide seemingly everything the recruits were searching for and welcoming them with effusive “love bombing,” what specific steps do the leaders use to manipulate both their newest and long-term members?