Hypnosis
Inducing a state of high suggestibility by hypnosis, often thinly disguised
as relaxation or meditation.
Peer Group Pressure
Suppressing doubt and resistance to new ideas by exploiting the need
to belong.
Love Bombing
Creating a sense of family and belonging through hugging, kissing,
touching and flattery.
Rejection of Old Values
Accelerating acceptance of new life style by constantly denouncing
former values and beliefs.
Confusing Doctrine
Encouraging blind acceptance and rejection of logic through complex
lectures on an incomprehensible doctrine.
Metacommunication
Implanting subliminal messages by stressing certain key words or phrases
in long, confusing lectures.
Removal of Privacy
Achieving loss of ability to evaluate logically by preventing private
contemplation.
Time Sense Deprivation
Destroying ability to evaluate information, personal reactions, and
body functions in relation to passage of time by removing all clocks and
watches.
Disinhibition
Encouraging child-like obedience by orchestrating child-like behaviour.
Uncompromising Rules
Inducing regression and disorientation by soliciting agreement to seemingly
simple rules which regulate mealtimes, bathroom breaks and use of medications.
Verbal Abuse
Desensitizing through bombardment with foul and abusive language.
Sleep Deprivation and Fatigue
Creating disorientation and vulnerability by prolonging mental an physical
activity and withholding adequate rest and sleep.
Dress Codes
Removing individuality by demanding conformity to the group dress code.
Chanting and Singing
Eliminanting non-cult ideas through group repetition of mind-narrowing
chants or phrases.
Confession
Encouraging the destruction of individual ego through confession of
personal weaknesses and innermost feelings of doubt.
Financial Commitment
Achieving increased dependence on the group by 'burning bridges' to
the past, through the donation of assets.
Finger Pointing
Creating a false sense of righteousness by pointing to the shortcomings
of the outside world and other cults.
Flaunting Hierarch
Promoting acceptance of cult authority by promising advancement, power
and salvation.
Isolation
Inducing loss of reality by physical separation from family, friends,
society and rational references.
Controlled Approval
Maintaining vulnerability and confusion by alternately rewarding and
punishing similar actions.
Change of Diet
Creating disorientation and increased susceptibility to emotional arousal
by depriving the nervous system of necessary nutrients through the use
of special diets and/or fasting.
Games
Inducing dependence on the group by introducing games with obscure
rules.
No Questions
Accomplishing automatic acceptance of beliefs by discouraging questions.
Guilt
Reinforcing the need for 'salvation' by exaggerating the sins of the
former lifestyles.
Fear
Maintaining loyalty and obedience to the group by threatening soul,
life or limb for the slightest 'negative' thought, word or deed.
Replacement of Relationships
Destroying pre-cult families by arranging cult marriages and 'families'.