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Chapter 8 - Adolescents and Cults

from Section 2 - Confounding Factors and Special Populations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 June 2025

By
Amanie Salem
Edited by
Tyler Durns ,
Charles Scott ,
Paul Whitehead  and
Barbara E. McDermott
Tyler Durns
Affiliation:
University of Utah
Charles Scott
Affiliation:
University of California, Davis
Paul Whitehead
Affiliation:
University of Utah
Barbara E. McDermott
Affiliation:
University of California, Davis
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Summary

This chapter explores adolescent involvement in cults. Adolescence is a time in which many individuals engage in group-like activity. However, this chapter defines cult-like behavior as beyond the range of normal group-like activity expected during the transitional time of adolescence. The biological, social, and psychological factors of adolescent development increase their susceptibility to peer pressure, predispose them to self-exploration, and contribute to characteristics that attract adolescents to cults. This chapter describes the characteristics of normal adolescent life that predispose adolescents to cult recruitment, characteristics of adolescents who are likely to join cults, and characteristics of the leaders of cults that attract adolescents. Important regarding adolescents in particular, the increased access to technology, the internet, and social media is redefining adolescent membership in cults and future considerations may offer an updated lens through which to define and consider adolescent involvement in cults.

Keywords

adolescentscultsdevelopmentneurodevelopmentSlender ManvampireBlue Whale Challengebelongingsocial acceptanceaddictioninternetsocial media

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Type
Chapter
Information
A Clinical and Forensic Guide to Cults and Persuasive Leadership , pp. 141 - 152
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2025

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