Cult leader characteristics
- Charismatic: Cult leader must have some quality to make people want to follow them.
- May claim an exclusive relationship with God, truth, happiness, etc.
- Superficial Charm: They are able to intrigue potential members and makes them want to be in the leader's life.
- Manipulative
- Has a lack of remorse, shame, or guilt.
- Is a pathological liar.
- Shallow Emotions: They are not emotional people and may only show emotion to gain a certain result.
- Impulsive nature
Some cult leaders may use "undue influence", which is manipulation by use of techniques such as coercive persuasion or behavoir modification. There are different types of "undue influence" such as:
- "Group Pressure"/"Love Bombing": Reinforces the need to belong through child-like activities such as games, hugging, singing, touching, or flattery.
- Isolation/Separation: Creates the inability or lack of desire to verify information by the group with reality.
- Thought-Stopping Techniques: Meditating, chanting, and repetitious activities. When it is used excessively, they induce a state of high suggestibility and dependency on the group.
- Fear/Guilt: Forcing confessions to produce intimacy and to reveal the fears and secrets of a member. It creates emotional vulnerability by threats, as well as punishments and rewards.
- Sleep Deprivation: It is encouraged under the disguise of spiritual exercises, training, or urgent projects.
- Malnutrition: Sometimes disguised as a "special diet" to improve health or advance spirituality, or as a ritual that requires fasting.
Cult Member Characteristics
- Completely and totally loyal to the leader. The person displays unquestioning commitment.
- Has a complete and literal acceptance of their leader's teaching and regard it as the truth or law. (Questioning and doubt are discouraged and sometimes even punished).
- Devotion to the group, and to the leader.
- Confusion
- Alienation
- Withdrawing from social activities.
- Changes in personality.
- Changes in dress and academic success.
Harmful effects
This has been added to the "Characteristics" page because these are the effects that you can see in a person once they get involved in a cult.
It is important to note that not everyone who is or has been in a cult will suffer the same effects.
- People can lost their free will and control over their life.
- Development of dependency and return to child-like behavior.
- The inability to form intimate relationships outside of the cult.
- A person may suffer from physical deterioration and abuse.
- One may also suffer from psychological deterioration, which can include hallucinations, anxiety, paranoia, disorientation, and dissociation.
It is important to note that not everyone who is or has been in a cult will suffer the same effects.