PSY 333 Psychology of Cults
When people hear the word “cult”, images of robed delusionnaries dancing in unison flash in their minds. Cults and the things they make people do can feel foreign and bizarre, but the reality is that high control social dynamics are all around us. Students in this course will explore how human psychology predisposes our species to extreme personal, relational, and group influence. They will be introduced to classic cult topics like why people join high-control groups, how they are kept there, and the costs of leaving; but they will also investigate how contemporary social influence mechanisms transform our everyday thoughts, feelings, and behaviors from the normative pursuit of basic needs to extreme dedication, admiration, and sacrifice. From parasociality and celebrity to toxic relationships and cult-followed product brands, students will dissect cultishness using sharp tools from the approach of social psychology to understand how human social behavior becomes greater than the sum of its parts. Pre-requisites: PSY 111 or PSY 110 or equivalent Intro to Psychology credit