The following text is taken from a Task Force report which was presented to the American Psychological Association (APA) in 1986. The Task Force was headed by Margaret Thaler Singer, PhD who has since become a prolific author on the topics of cults and mind control.

The report was rejected by the APA, not because of it's content, but due to questions raised about the scientific procedures used to generate it. There is great speculation that the APA backed off on the study for political reasons. Issues of mind control, brainwashing, and psychological coercion are considered "hot potatoes" within the scientific community.
My theory on that is because of the reluctance within these professional groups to take on large and established religions and organizations. Also, the Church of Scientology has limitless money to throw around to prevent any definitive scientific or legal resolution on this issue.

The full text of the report can be found at:
http://www.rickross.com/reference/apologist23.html

"LGAT" refers to "Large Group Awareness Training" which would include Con:Sin, which are in effect, therapy groups led by non-professionals.

The study also includes information on Psychological Therapy groups, such as those which have been mentioned here by some posters.

quote:

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The preceding literature review suggests that most of the nationally known LGATs and a burgeoning, but as yet undetermined number, of take-offs on them are using powerful psychological techniques capable of stripping individuals of their psychological defenses, inducing behavioral regression, and promoting regressive modes of reasoning. Further, it appears that deceptive sales techniques are involved in promoting the trainings since the secrecy surrounding the programs' sales promotions prevents consumers from obtaining full disclosure. Consumers are persuaded to purchase programs described as educational, while in actuality the programs consist of highly orchestrated, intense indoctrination processes capable of inducing marked psychological experience. Consumers are not fully and adequately informed about the programs' intensity, the new philosophical formulations of reality that they imply, the potentially harmful consequences of some of the exercises to which participants will be exposed, the sometimes lurid psychological upset they will witness, nor the fact that management is aware of at least some of the risks to which they subject participants. Such practices run counter to American Psychological Association recommendations on the running of growth groups (American Psychological Association, 1973).

Analysis

As should be clear by now, criticism of cults and LGATs stems from the observation that such groups use deceptive and indirect (and sometimes coercive) techniques of persuasion and control to advance the goals of leaders, frequently to the detriment of members, their families, and society at large. The problems posed by such groups, then, have psychological and ethical aspects. The psychological aspect concerns the nature of behavior and attitude change techniques and their consequences. The ethical aspect of the problem concerns the appropriateness of such techniques in various situations. Preceding sections of this report have detailed many of the harmful consequences. This section explores the nature of influence techniques and ethical implications.

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I think this is an important read for anyone who has strong opinions about this topic one way or the other.

A profile of Dr. Singer can be found at: http://www.csj.org/infoserv_profile/singer_margaret.htm which also includes a list of her writings and information on obtaining copies.

Katie