
 Psychology In Seattle Podcast
 Psychology In Seattle Podcast Why Do People Join Cults? (2018 Rerun)
 Jan 9, 2025 
 Dr. Alexandra Stein, a social psychologist and cult expert, shares her insights on why people join cults. She discusses her own experiences in a cult, revealing how individuals often seek community and support, unwittingly falling into manipulative environments. Stein explores the emotional impact of cult dynamics, including shunning and coercive control, while emphasizing the importance of support systems for recovery. She also connects the psychological mechanisms of cults to authoritarian leadership, highlighting parallels that can be found in both cults and politics. 
 Chapters 
 Books 
 Transcript 
 Episode notes 
 1  2  3  4  5  6  7 
 Intro 
 00:00 • 2min 
 The Path to Cult Involvement 
 01:50 • 12min 
 The Coercive Dynamics of Cults and the Impact of Shunning 
 14:06 • 3min 
 Breaking Free from Cult Control 
 17:22 • 20min 
 Understanding the Psychological Dynamics of Intense Relationships 
 37:06 • 2min 
 Breaking Free: The Psychological Toll of Control 
 39:16 • 10min 
 Psychology of Cults and Leadership Dynamics 
 49:44 • 10min 






