A critical evaluation of coercive persuasion as used in the assessment of cults

An intense controversy regarding new and unpopular religious movements, or cults, continues to involve professionals at the juncture of psychiatry, religion, and the law. As the cults come under increasingly critical scrutiny, the concept most often used for assessing them is that of coercive persuasion. Briefly, such persuasion is seen as a means of psychological manipulation that leaves individuals without the normal control of their own minds. Considering recent pertinent cases and literature, the authors find major weaknesses in this theory. When applied it proves elastic, and it is regularly identified in cults for conduct that, on close examination, is similar to that of established religious groups. The concept of coercive persuasion as a means of thought control fails to pass scientific muster, and it serves poorly as a means of evaluating the connection between alleged harm and the cults. Instead, the authors suggest that a search for an alternative theory might well begin with one based on the individual as competent or not to make a choice regarding religion.     

Holistic attitudes of high school students toward themselves and their school experiences.

This study was based on an analysis of essays written by 47 teacher education students in response to the question, "If you could live your high school days over again, what, if anything, would you change?" The responses were organized into 20 different categories and tabulated according to students' age and sex. In retrospect, 38% of these students would have improved their attitude toward high school. Thirty-six percent indicated that high school was a positive experience, though this attitude was often unrelated to academic achievement. The responses strongly suggest that for many high school students, general attitude toward school affects achievement more than do attitudes toward specific school characteristics.     

The Society for Research in Child and Adolescent Psychopathology

The Society for Research in Child and Adolescent Psychopathology     

Grape Expectations: The Role of Alcohol Expectancies in the Understanding and Treatment of Problem Drinking

Although research into alcohol expectancies is reasonably well established, there is scant empirical evidence to directly relate such expectancies to the treatment of problem drinking. Consistent evidence from alcohol expectancy studies indicates that problem drinkers hold clusters of strongly positive beliefs regarding alcohol, in particular perceiving their drinking as a way of coping with specific skills deficits. However the precise relationship between such beliefs and treatment has not yet been established. The research developments needed to more fully elucidate the role that alcohol expectancies play in the treatment of problem drinking are discussed.     

Reading About AIDS and Cognitive Coping Style: Their Effects on Fear of AIDS and Homophobia

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of reading about AIDS on fear of AIDS, knowledge of AIDS, and homophobia. Introductory psychology students read one of three magazine articles: one stressing the low likelihood of contracting AIDS through casual contact (reassuring article), one stressing the high likelihood of contracting AIDS through casual contact (alarming article), or a control article that did not mention AIDS. Compared to the control group, subjects who read the reassuring article were lower in fear of AIDS, whereas subjects who read the alarming article were higher; the articles had no effect on knowledge of AIDS or homophobia. In addition, subjects were classified on the basis of their cognitive coping style (high vs. low monitors) and sex. High monitors tended to be more fearful of AIDS but were neither better informed about AIDS nor more homophobic than low monitors. Men were more fearful of AIDS and more homophobic than women.     

Changes in Fear of AIDS and Homophobia in a University Population

A survey measuring attitudes toward fear of AIDS and homophobia, taken in the fall of 1985, was repeated in the fall of 1989 on the same university population. The results indicated that whereas fear of AIDS decreased, the degree of homophobia remained essentially unchanged. In addition, although respondents were much more knowledgeable about AIDS in 1989 than in 1985, there was no evidence of any change in the relatively high correlation between the fear of AIDS and homophobia.     

LED-transistor optical vascular measure: Replicability of a new device

We describe the use of a photo-optical device for the measurement of peripheral vascular activity, the Optek OPB707A, which we advocate to replace the now obsolete Sensor Technology STRT-850A. The Optek device provides a close coupling of light emitted and received through use of a GaAlAs light-emitting diode (LED). It also provides a photodarlington transistor as the receiver. The device should be used in a transmitted mode (e.g., LED illuminating tissue on volar surface of thumb and receiver on the thumbnail). Signal-to-noise characteristics and replicability of the signal from occasion to occasion are shown to be equal or superior to those of the earlier device.