Arthur Louis Buchman defends his PhD thesis
Title
Cult Involvement - An Empirical Investigation of the Lived Experience of Former Cult Members.
Time and place
7 February 2025 at 2 pm (CET).
The defence will take place in Auditorium 2.0.63, The Faculty of Social Sciences (CSS), Øster Farimagsgade 5, Building 2, 1353 Copenhagen.
The defence will also be available via Zoom.
Click here to join the defence.
Passcode: 601108.
After the defence, there will be a reception in room 03.2.M202, the Department of Psychology, Øster Farimagsgade 2A, 1353 Copenhagen.
Assessment committee
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Associate Professor Séamus Power, University of Copenhagen, Denmark (chair)
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Associate Professor Dr. Catherine de Boer, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada
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Associate Professor Piotr T. Nowakowski, University of Rzeszów, Poland
Supervisors
- Senior Lecturer Linda Dubrow-Marshall, University of Salford Manchester, United Kingdom
- Professor Rod Dubrow-Marshall, University of Salford Manchester, United Kingdom
Abstract
The thesis explores the full spectrum of cult involvement from start to finish. The research question was: What can in-depth interviews with former cult members reveal about their experiences before, during, and after their cult involvement? A study with 10 ex-members using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), plentifully illustrated with direct quotes, identified eight master themes: vulnerable, coercive control, harm, influential others, identity, dissonance reduction, helplessness, and self-efficacy. Key findings include recognizing the normalcy of cult joiners, deducing harm from controlling cult leaders, and the roles of cognitive dissonance and learned helplessness in enduring psychological suffering. Additionally, the research underscores the importance of building self-efficacy in facilitating exit and recovery.
