Cult Mentality
Deindividuation, Conformity, & Obedience
People within cults lose a sense of self. As they become highly involved within the group, they lose self awareness and think of their actions as an extension of the group. This process known as deindividuation, causes them to hold less responsibility for their actions and do things they normally wouldn’t do.
Conformity and obedience also play a large role in cults. The cult leader has the role of authority. People are obedient to the leader not just in fear of punishments, but also because they view the leader as being more wise and since they have the authority. Outside of the leader, people are likely to conform to the group in fear of being marginalized. Deindividuation, obedience, and conformity all compound on one another to make people act in ways they normally wouldn’t.
Self-Categorization Theory
Cult’s utilize this “us” vs. “them” perspective or self-categorization theory. Everyone who doesn’t agree is the “out group”. Members want to be part of the “in group” so they’ll agree with the group's ideals and act as expected.
Cult members can be aware that what’s happening within the cult can seem bizarre and weird. To lessen the cognitive dissonance and uncertainties in their mind, they’ll be more likely to consult people within the group. Doing this only affirms their beliefs because they only consulted like-minded people. This ties into self-categorization theory, because the person will feel more part of the group after their beliefs are affirmed. This also leans into group polarization, because everyone has the same opinion and no one is voicing a dissenting thought, the cults beliefs can become not only strengthened but more extreme as a result.
Social Identity Theory
The reason most cult members deny being in a cult could be related to social identity theory. It’s when a person’s self esteem is tied to the group that they’re in. This theory is driven by people’s need to have a positive self concept. Cult’s have a negative connotation to them, so a person wouldn’t want to be associated with being part of a cult. This leads to people denying they’re in a cult and instead describing their group with something that has more positive connotations.