Name: How cults rewire the brain
Uploaded: 2009-06-17T01:00:00Z
Duration: 6 min 4 s
Description: Diane Benscoter spent five years as a "Moonie." She shares an insider's perspective on the mind of a cult member, and proposes a new way to think about today's most troubling conflicts and extremist movements.

Diane Benscoter spent five years as a "Moonie." She shares an insider's perspective on the mind of a cult member, and proposes a new way to think about today's most troubling conflicts and extremist movements.

How cults rewire the brain

Cult beliefs can hijack the brain much like a viral infection, making even the most extreme actions seem rational. One powerful example is Jonestown, where 900 people died in a mass suicide, convinced by a closed belief system. These rigid worldviews thrive when people are vulnerable and create dangerous divisions between 'us and them.' Understanding extremist mentalities as a human, scientific problem lets hope in—change is possible with research and open dialogue.