Michael D. Langone, Ph.D. Farber, Harlow, & West (1957) coined the term “DDD syndrome” to describe the essence of Korean war thought reform with prisoners of war: debility, dependency, and dread. Lifton (1961), who also studied thought reform employed in Chinese universities, demonstrated that the process did not require physical…
Cults: Questions and Answers
The term cult is applied to a wide range of groups. There are historical cults, such as the cult of Isis, non-western cults studied by anthropologists, such as the Melanesian cargo cults, and a host of contemporary cults that have caught the publics’ attention during the past fifteen years.
On Using the Term "Cult"
Herbert L. Rosedale, Esq.Michael D. Langone, Ph.D. Even though we have each studied cults and educated people about this subject for more than 20 years, neither of us has ever felt completely comfortable with the term “cult.” No other term, however, serves more effectively the linked educational and research aims…
The Definitional Ambiguity of “Cult” and ICSA’s Mission
Michael D. Langone, Ph.D. (This essay is a follow-up to “On Using the Term Cult.”) A central component of ICSA’s mission is to study psychological manipulation and abuse, especially as it manifests in cultic and other groups. Different people, however, attach different and usually imprecise meanings to the term “cult” (On…