Summary
Summary of Article “Who joins cults and why.”
https://cultrecovery101.com/cult-recovery-readings/who-joins-cults-and-why/
The author indicates that susceptibility to joining cults has nothing to do with personality types or age groups. Neither does joining cults have anything to do with a person’s intelligence level. Instead the likelihood of a person joining cults has to do with situational aspects that the person is facing at any particular time. These situational aspects are moments of personal crises, transition or confusion that can be brought about by moving into a new town, losing a job or loved one, a career change or divorce etc. These situational aspects are common aspects that anyone could be facing at any given time, and are not limited to certain groups or types of people, nor is anyone immune to these situational aspects. These situational aspects are those that create stress and anxiety which is what makes a personal vulnerable to cults as cults purport to provide solutions to these problems or situational aspects that create stress, anxiety, loneliness, fatigue, distraction etc.
There are also a number of predisposing factors that when combined with the above situational aspects can increase a person’s likelihood of joining a cult. These predisposing characteristics, again, are not limited to one group, age or intelligence level but can be found in any person. These predisposing factors include a need to belong, a lack of assertiveness, gullibility, lack of self confidence etc.
According to the author, no one is immune from the danger of being recruited in a cult. Instead anyone is susceptible and likely to be recruited if they are targeted at the most opportune time, i.e. when they are vulnerable due to any situational factors in their life.
