Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 6, No. 1, 2007

Former Members’ Perceptions of Cult Involvement

Carmen Almendros, Ph.D.;   José A. Carrobles, Ph.D.; Álvaro Rodríguez-Carballeira, Ph.D.

Abstract

Several factors have been described in the literature as influencing an individual’s susceptibility to cult recruitment and/or remaining within the cult. Some of these factors have been widely and repeatedly asserted, although the scarce data available from empirical research in this subject and other cult-related topics (Aronoff, Lynn & Malinoski, 2000), as well as the usual difficulties encountered when one tries to investigate this issue in particular, make it hard to investigate cult members before they join these groups. The aim of the present study was to examine the perceptions of a Spanish sample of 101 self-identified former members of diverse cultic groups, who were interviewed face to face or who responded by postal mail to several questions regarding their process of cult involvement and perceived psychological abuse within their groups. Their responses were compared to those of 38 former members of diverse non-cultic groups and 24 Psychology students. The psychology students were asked to respond to the same set of questions given to the other groups, but as the students thought a former cult member would respond.  Results showed that the former cult members perceived the manipulative behaviors of the group as the most important factor in their involvements. There were no significant differences between former cult members and former members of non-cultic groups in their reports of problems in significant others’ relationships as a factor of involvement. The students who were asked to simulate their responses however, rated this factor as well as the one related to personal maladjustment significantly above the ratings of former cult members. 

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