Abstract

Social Psychology of Group Dynamics in Cults: Exploring the Influence of Leadership and Organizational Structure in the Heaven’s Gate Cult Mellanie Douglas Dr. Kristen Campbell, Department of Psychology

Cults are extreme religious or political groups that rely on social and psychological influence to attract followers and maintain loyalty to a charismatic leader. Heaven's Gate is recognized as a historic new age religious and science fiction cult. It was founded in the 1970s by Marshall Herff Applewhite and Bonnie Lou Nettles during the counterculture movement and ended in 1997 with a mass suicide of 39 members. Accounts from within and regarding Heaven's Gate illustrate how leaders reshaped group identity and belief systems in a way that reduced the value of individuals and encouraged group identity. This thesis reviews five tactics used to influence members of Heaven's Gate including deindividuation, foot in the door, groupthink, isolation, and obedience to authority. Evidence from historical records, scholarly research, and group testimony suggest that these tactics gradually stripped individuality, encouraged conformity, and led to complete acceptance despite extreme outcomes. The discussion connects ideas to modern situations like school and workplace environments. Despite industries having reduced severity of environmental strategies compared to the extreme, similar mechanics appear in a more subtle form like routines, small requests, peer pressure, and supervisor superiority. Recognizing these similarities establish an understanding of healthy versus unhealthy group dynamics. This assists leaders in both industrial settings to encourage individual cooperation and allows followers to recognize manipulation before it escalates.

Keywords: Heaven’s Gate, counterculture, manipulation tactics, deindividuation, foot-in-the-door, groupthink, isolation, obedience to authority, group dynamics, conformity

Semester/Year of Award

Fall 11-2025

Mentor

Kristen Campbell

Mentor Department Affiliation

Psychology

Access Options

Open Access Thesis

Degree Name

Honors Scholars

Department

Psychology

Presentation

https://youtu.be/FRbKVPqwbZE?si=UHFt9-6512It4ydW

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