Undue influence is any act of persuasion that overcomes the free will and judgment of another person. People can be unduly influenced by deception, flattery, trickery, coercion, hypnosis, and other techniques. In addition to religious cults, there are psychotherapy cults, political cults, commercial cults, terrorist organizations, and trafficking rings. There are also personality cults, particularly if one person exerts undue influence over another (or a small group of people, such as in a family). There are groups which combine all or some of these elements, especially when the group is large and has a variety of “fronts” or other entities.

The Cult: the Meaning of Undue Influence

A destructive cult is a pyramid-shaped authoritarian regime with a person or group of people that have dictatorial control. It uses deception to recruit new members and does not tell them what the group is, what the group actually believes, and what will be expected of them if they become members. It also uses undue influence to keep people dependent, obedient, and loyal.

Assessing Whether Organizations Exert Undue Influence