They provide meaning, purpose and belonging. They offer a clear, confident vision and assert the idiology superiority of the group.

As to the leaders themselves, they typically present themselves as infallible, confident and grandiose. Their charisma draws people in, Hart says. And followers who are craving peace, belonging and security might gain a sense of those things as well as confidence through participation in the group.

The content or ideology at the core of a cult can be religious, or vary beyond that. Some cults are political, others are therapy-based and some focus on self-improvement. while still others assert the need for discipline as a way of reaching divine nirvana.

Generally, “A cult is a group or movement with a shared commitment to a usually extreme ideology that is usually embodied in a charismatic leader. Examples are David Koresh, Charlie Manson, Amy Carlson, and