Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id GAA20520 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Tue, 15 Jan 2002 06:56:28 GMT To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk Message-Id: <AA-1245283AE736FF280F60C98EE9D57FAB-ZZ@homebase1.prodigy.net> Date: Tue, 15 Jan 2002 01:52:29 -0500 From: "Philip Jonkers" <PHILIPJONKERS@prodigy.net> Subject: Re: Knowledge, Memes and Sensory Perception Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
Keith:
>Now *why* people can be infected with memes that do
them and their genes a
>great deal of damage, *that* an interesting topic.
It happens to be one I
>spent a good number of years trying to understand.
>
>Sex, Drugs and Cults
>
>---An Evolutionary Psychology Perspective On Why and
How Cult Memes Get A
>Drug-Like Hold On People
>
>"Cult memes hijack two evolved psychological
mechanisms. One is
>capture-bonding, also known as the Stockholm
Syndrome. Capture-bonding
>evolved as a survival mechanism for individuals
captured between
>tribes. It lies behind social phenomena as diverse
as army basic training
>and spouse abuse. Cults evoke capture-bonding
mechanisms for both
>obtaining and retaining members. (Examples, EST
lockup meetings, Moonies
>isolation recruitment, Scientology RPF.)
>
>"The other and more important psychological mechanism
is attention
>rewards. Cult (memes) take advantage of this
reproductive success related
>reward pathway by focusing attention on members (love
bombing, auditing and
>attention intensive "training routines.") Attention
is used by social
>primates to measure social status, a matter of major
importance
>particularly for males in determining reproductive
success. Attention
>activates the major brain reward pathway by causing
the release of
>endorphins and dopamine. This is the same reward
pathway hijacked by
>addictive drugs.
>
>"Evolutionary psychology is invoked to analyze both
of these mechanisms."
Wow... the latter mechanism sounds pretty familiar.
However, I do not understand precisely what you mean
by `capture bonding'. Do you
mean potential cult-members voluntarily let themselves
lock up in isolation for a while and, thankful as they
are, upon release decide to stick around.
Could you provide some references on that,
preferrably internet-sites? I'm very interested...
Philip.
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