Psychological Characteristics of Young People Involved in Religious and Cult Organizations via the Internet Space

395

Abstract

The results of an empirical study related to the problem of involving modern youth in religious and religious organizations through the Internet space are presented in the article. It is assumed in the hypothesis that the success of this process is largely due to the severity of certain personal characteristics in young people. 60 people acted as respondents, of which: 30 - not involved in religious and cult organizations and 30 - participants in closed religious groups on social networks, 17 men and 43 women aged 20-28 years, as well as 50 experts working in institutions dealing with religious studies and sectarianism, took part in the study. A specially developed author's questionnaire was used, as well as standardized methods. It was revealed that a young man involved in religious organizations aspires to people, to be a member of a social group, he is characterized by low self-esteem, a level of critical thinking, a degree of protection against manipulation, as well as a tendency to dependent behavior.

General Information

Keywords: involvement in religious organizations, psychological characteristics of a young age, personal characteristics, conditions of involvement

Journal rubric: Legal Psychology of Childhood

Article type: scientific article

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/psylaw.2020100313

For citation: Mironova O.I. Psychological Characteristics of Young People Involved in Religious and Cult Organizations via the Internet Space [Elektronnyi resurs]. Psikhologiya i pravo = Psychology and Law, 2020. Vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 189–210. DOI: 10.17759/psylaw.2020100313. (In Russ., аbstr. in Engl.)

References

  1. Akimova V. V., Mironova O. I. Faktory vovlecheniya v religioznye organizacii i osobennosti individual'noj struktury religioznosti[Factors of involvement in religious organizations and features of the individual structure of religiosity]. Uchenye zapiski Rossijskogo gosudarstvennogo social'nogo universiteta [Scientific Notes of the Russian State Social University], 2018, vol. 17, no. 4 (149), pp. 46-55. DOI: 10.17922/2071-5323-2018-17-4-46-55
  2. Il'yuk E.V. Destruktivnaya sekta kak «psihologicheskaya» tyur'ma (metody vovlecheniya i izmeneniya soznaniya v destruktivnyh sektah) [Destructive sect as a "psychological" prison (methods of involving and changing consciousness in destructive sects)]. Viktimologiya [Victimology], 2018, no. 1 (15), pp. 50-57.
  3. Limanskih E.S. Mekhanizmy vozdejstviya na lichnost' i posledstviya vovlecheniya v destruktivnye religioznye organizacii [Mechanisms of influence on the personality and the consequences of involvement in destructive religious organizations]. Materialy Vserossijskoj konferencii s mezhdunarodnym uchastiem «YUridicheskie kliniki v sisteme okazaniya besplatnoj yuridicheskoj pomoshchi RF» (g. SHadrinsk, 08 dekabrya 2018g.) [Proceedings of the All-Russian conference with international participation "Legal clinics in the system of providing free legal aid to the Russian Federation"]. SHadrinsk: SHadrinskij gosudarstvennyj pedagogicheskij universitet. 2018, pp. 105-112.
  4. Lifton R. Tekhnologiya «promyvki mozgov». Psihologiya totalitarizma [Technology "brainwashing". The psychology of totalitarianism.]. Moscow, 2005,pp. 118.
  5. Monastyrskij V.A., Sadovnikova ZH.V. Prichiny uhoda, priemy zamanivaniya i osobennosti psihologicheskogo vozdejstviya na molodezh' v sektah [Reasons for leaving, methods of luring and peculiarities of psychological impact on young people in sects]. Voprosy vospitaniya [Issues of education], 2008,no. 13, pp. 107-121.
  6. Muhina T.K. Pedagogicheskaya profilaktika vovlecheniya uchashchihsya v destruktivnye religioznye organizacii v obshcheobrazovatel'nyh uchrezhdeniyah [Pedagogical prevention of the involvement of students in destructive religious organizations in educational institutions]. Vladimir: Vladimirskij Gosudarstvennyj Universitet, 2016. 72 p.
  7. Romanov A.V. Prichiny vovlecheniya v kul'tovye religioznye gruppy [Reasons for involvement in cult religious groups]. Izvestiya Ural'skogo gosudarstvennogo ekonomicheskogo universiteta [News of the Ural State Economic University.], 2013, no. 2 (46), pp. 137-142.
  8. Sadovnikova ZH.V. Podgotovka budushchih social'nyh pedagogov k profilaktike vovlecheniya molodezhi v religioznye sekty [Preparation of future social educators for the prevention of youth involvement in religious sects]. Diss. … kand. ped. nauk. Tambov: Tambovskij gosudarstvennyj universitet imen G.R. Derzhavina, 2004. 193 p.
  9. Yakovleva M.G. O teoreticheskih osnovah pedagogicheskoj profilaktiki vovlecheniya amerikanskoj molodyozhi v destruktivnye sekty [On the theoretical foundations of pedagogical prevention of the involvement of American youth in destructive sects]. Innovacionnye proekty i programmy v obrazovanii [Innovative projects and programs in education], 2016, no. 6,pp. 64-68.
  10. Coates D.D. «Cult Commitment» from the Perspective of Former Members: Direct Rewards of Membership versus Dependency Inducing Practices [«Cult Commitment» from the Perspective of Former Members: Direct Rewards of Membership versus Dependency Inducing Practices]. Deviant Behavior[Deviant Behavior], 2012, no. 33, pp. 168-184.
  11. Coates D.D. Counselling former members of charismatic groups: considering pre-involvement variables, reasons for joining the group and corresponding values [Counselling former members of charismatic groups: considering pre-involvement variables, reasons for joining the group and corresponding values]. Mental Health, Religion and Culture [Mental Health, Religion and Culture], 2011, no. 3, pp. 191-207.
  12. Klenk M. New Religious Movements in Global Perspective [New Religious Movements in Global Perspective]. Religionswissenschaft [Religionswissenschaft], 2012, no. 7, pp. 1-16.
  13. Lalich J. Bounded Choice: True Believers and Charismatic Cults [Bounded Choice: True Believers and Charismatic Cults]. London: University of California Press, 2004. 353 p.
  14. Mironova O., Akimova V., Ivanova O., Polyakova O. Social and psychological factors of youth involvement in religious and cult organizations through the Internet [Social and psychological factors of youth involvement in religious and cult organizations through the Internet]. Proceedings 1st International Scientific Practical Conference "The Individual and Society in the Modern Geopolitical Environment" [Social and psychological factors of youth involvement in religious and cult organizations through the Internet]. (g. Volgograd, July 2019). Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research [Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research], 2019, vol. 331, pp. 481-487.
  15. Verma A., Verma M., Rahul T.M., Khurana S., Rai A. Measuring accessibility of various facilities by walking in world’s largest mass religious gathering — Kumbh Mela [Measuring accessibility of various facilities by walking in world’s largest mass religious gathering — Kumbh Mela]. Sustainable Cities and Society [Sustainable Cities and Society], 2019,no. 45, p. 79-86.

Information About the Authors

Oksana I. Mironova, Doctor of Psychology, Docent, Professor, Department of Psychology Faculty of Social Sciences, HSE University, Professor, Department of Psychology and Human Capital Development Faculty of Social Sciences and mass communications Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4822-5877, e-mail: mironova_oksana@mail.ru

Metrics

Views

Total: 1317
Previous month: 17
Current month: 0

Downloads

Total: 395
Previous month: 3
Current month: 0