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11 mar 2024 · In the field of sociology, the term ‘cult’ is often used to describe a particular type of religious or social group that is characterized by its distinctive beliefs, practices, and organizational structure.
28 lut 2011 · [6] Threats of Satanic Attack. Finally, some cults use fear and intimidation to keep members in line. Members may be told that something awful will happen to them should they choose to leave the group. Others may be told that Satan will attack them and may even kill them, for they will have committed the unpardonable sin.
Howard Becker, in Systematic Sociology (1932), exchanged the term cult for mysticism, resulting in an influential shift in the sociological designation of cult as a particular type of religious group rather than referring only to the structuring of worship activities within all religions.
Sociology of Religion. Definition. A cult is typically defined as a religious group that is considered to be unorthodox or outside mainstream beliefs, often led by a charismatic leader and characterized by extreme devotion from its members.
I define a cult as follows: A cult can be either a sharply bounded social group or a diffusely bounded social movement held together through shared commitment to a charismatic leader. It upholds a transcendent ideology (often but not always religious in nature) and requires a high level of personal commitment from its members in words and deeds ...
It is characterized by the following psychological elements: members (1) have a shared belief system, (2) sustain a high level of social cohesiveness, (3) are strongly influenced by the group’s behavioral norms, and (4) impute charismatic (or sometimes divine) power to the group or its leadership.
Social scientists have tended to start from a more neutral perspective, using ‘cult’ and ‘sect’ as technical terms to refer to religious groups in tension with the wider society.
