Psychiatrist Louis Jolyon West presented the following definition of a destructive cult at a conference, which the American Family Foundation (AFF), now known as the International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA), held at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). The AFF/ICSA Cultic Studies Journal later published his definition. West was the director of the Neuropsychiatry Institute at UCLA and studied destructive cults for decades.
West stated, “A cult is a group or movement exhibiting a great or excessive devotion or dedication to some person, idea or thing and employing unethically manipulative techniques of persuasion and control (e.g. isolation from former friends and family, debilitation, use of special methods to heighten suggestibility and subservience, powerful group pressures, information management, suspension of individuality or critical judgment, promotion of total dependency on the group and fear of leaving it, etc.) designed to advance the goals of the group’s leaders to the actual or possible detriment of members, their families, or the community.”
Reference: Louis Jolyon West and Michael Langone, “Cultism: A Conference for Scholars and Policy Makers. Summary of Proceedings of the Wingspread Conference on Cultism,” (lecture, American Family Foundation, Weston, MA, September 9–11, 1985).
Ross, Rick. Cults Inside Out: How People Get In and Can Get Out . Kindle Edition.