negative characteristics exhibited by the former cult members studied, said Dr. Clark, are depression, guilt, fear, paranoia, slow speech, rigidity of facial expression and body posture, indifference to physical appearance, passivity and memory impairment.
The techniques of many cults fall under the general rubric of brainwashing
Dr. Singer, ''cult leaders and their trainers exert a systematic social influence that can produce great behavioral changes.''
'have taken techniques from the human-potential movement, from the encounter, sensitivitytraining and humanistic-psychology movements, and combined them with cult ideology and persuasive sales methods - and packaged them in various combinations.''
nationally is variously estimated at 300,000 to three million.
Dr. Singer estimates that there are 2,500 to 3,000 cults in the United States
United
Dr. Singer estimates that there are 2,500 to 3,000 cults in the United States
Whether or not a cult is destructive is determined by the morality of the cult leader and the nature of the leader's charismatic dream,
Not all cults are destructive, the researchers said, and many of those who join and remain in cults do so out of a sincere quest for religious connection.
Dr. Cath defined a cult as a group of people joined together by a common ideological system fostered by a charismatic leader
Temporal lobe epilepsy is a form of focal epilepsy, a chronic neurological condition characterized by recurrent seizures.
''the expectation is that they can transcend the imperfections and finitude of life.''
''Often they set up a we-they philosophy: We have the truth and you do not.
''Under the force of the conversion experience, people disappeared from their families and changed, sometimes after only a few days.''
More are male than female.
involves a vulnerable person
''Cult recruiters frequent bus stations, airports, campuses, libraries, rallies, anywhere that unattached persons are likely to be passing through,''
Dr. Cath defined a cult as a group of people joined together by a common ideological system fostered by a charismatic leader
The symptoms of temporal lobe epilepsy,'' said Dr. Clark, ''are similar to those seen or reported as resulting from cult conversions: increased irritability, loss of libido or altered sexual interest; ritualism, compulsive attention to detail, mystical states, humorlessness and sobriety, heightened paranoia.''
Dr. Cath said: ''Keeping devotees constantly fatigued, deprived of sensory input and suffering protein deprivation, working extremely long hours in street solicitation or in cult-owned businesses, engaging in monotonous chanting and rhythmical singing, may induce psychophysiological changes in the brain. The rhythmical movement of the body can lead to altered states of consciousness, and changes in the pressure or vibration pattern of the brain may affect the temporal lobe.''
''cult-conversion syndrome'' represents an overload of the brain's ability to process information.