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When you hear the word cult, you might think of a dark chamber with a bunch of robed people chanting because of weird, sinister beliefs.
听到邪教这个词，你可能会想到一群穿着长袍的人在一个黑暗的房间里吟唱，因为他们有着怪异邪恶的信仰。
Or tragedies like the over 900 people who committed mass suicide in 1978 because they were instructed to by Reverend Jim Jones.
或者是悲剧，比如1978年，因为牧师吉姆·琼斯的指示，900多人集体自杀。
It's easy to wonder who would ever join a cult, and assume there's something wrong with those people.
人们很想知道加入邪教的都是哪些人，并认为那些人不正常。
But cults come in many forms, and are more common than you might think.
但是邪教的形式有很多，可能比你想象的还要常见。
And most of the time, the people who join are just like you and me.
大多数时候，加入邪教的人和你我没什么区别。
Defining cults is tricky, even for researchers.
给邪教下定义很难，甚至对研究人员来说也是如此。
They pretty much agree that cults involve extreme devotion to some idea, thing, or person.
他们几乎都同意邪教是某些想法、事物或人的极端。
But some researchers emphasize a religious element, calling them a New Religious Movement.
一些研究人员突出宗教因素，称其为一种新的宗教运动。
Others focus on manipulative persuasion tactics.
一些人专注于操控性说服策略的研究。
And some highlight destructive groups that seek to control and isolate people,
一些人则强调邪教组织是一种试图控制和孤立人们的破坏性组织，
as opposed to groups that might share some cult-like qualities but aren't harmful or could even be beneficial.
邪教与那些可能具有某些类似邪教的特征，但没有害处甚至可能有益的群体截然不同。
The reality is, it's sometimes hard to give a clear-cut answer as to whether a group is a cult.
事实是，对于一个群体是否是邪教有时很难给出明确的定义。
But psychologists are still trying to figure out who joins cults and why.
但心理学家们仍在试图弄清楚究竟加入邪教的都是哪些人，他们为什么加入邪教。
Most studies involve recruiting former cult members from all over the world to ask them what their experiences were like.
大多数研究人员都在世界各地招募前邪教成员，询问他们的经历。
It's hard to interview current cult members or people before they join.
很难采访到现在的邪教成员，以及那些还没有加入邪教但即将加入的人们
So, while researchers have learned many things from these people who left, there's still a lot we don't know.
因此，尽管研究人员从这些前邪教成员身上了解到了很多东西，但还有很多东西是我们不了解的。
But what we do know is a bit surprising.
但就我们所知道的有点令人吃惊。
For instance, in one study from 2007 at the Autonomous University of Madrid,
例如，在2007年马德里自治大学的一项研究中，
researchers interviewed 101 former cult members and found that they're just normal people.
研究人员采访了101名前邪教成员，发现他们和正常人没什么区别。
Some said that they joined cults because they were dissatisfied with their life,
一些人说他们加入邪教是因为他们对自己的生活不满，
or were looking for self-development or spiritual growth, which are totally normal psychological phenomena.
或者是寻求自我发展或精神成长，这些心理都很正常。
Everyone usually wants to belong to a group of people that cares about them,
每个人都想成为关心他人、
and might look for answers to big picture questions, work to improve themselves, or seek spiritual enlightenment.
可能会想要寻找远景问题的答案、努力提高自己或者寻求精神启迪的人。
Sometimes, people just find those things in cults.
有时，人们加入邪教是为了找到这些东西。
And, even though all this research is far from conclusive, there might be factors that put us more at risk of joining one.
而且，尽管所有这些研究还远未得出结论，但可能存在让人们加入邪教的因素。
Who you're around could matter.
你可能受到身边人的影响。
For instance, if your family or friends are already part of a cult, your chance of joining is greater.
例如，如果你的家人或朋友已经加入邪教，你加入邪教的机会就会更大。
Same with having a dysfunctional family that's not very supportive or even abusive.
同样，如果你成长在一个不支持你、充满谩骂的家庭，你加入邪教的机会也很大。
But family can also be a source of protection if you do join.
但家人也会成为你的保护伞。
Having a supportive family that isn't judgmental and critical can help you leave.
有一个支持你，不会评判你，也不会批评你的家庭，能帮助你远离邪教。
Some personal qualities might also matter, like being more spiritual or religious, or being curious about other people's views.
个人品质可能也会影响你加入邪教，比如更加精神或宗教化，或者对别人的观点感到好奇。
People who are having a difficult time in their life, dealing with stress,
那些生活中有困难、处理压力
or having problems managing emotions or daily life pressures, are also at a greater risk.
或者在管理情绪或日常生活压力方面有问题的人，也有可能加入邪教。
All this makes it sound like everyone is at risk, which… we kind of are.
所有这一切听起来像是每个人都有加入邪教的危险。
But also in that 2007 study, the former cult members rated manipulation as the most important factor in joining.
但根据2007年的一项研究，前邪教成员认为，操纵是加入邪教最主要的因素。
People usually thought they were joining a normal, healthy community, because of various persuasion techniques and lies.
由于各种说服技巧和谎言，人们通常觉得他们加入的是正常、健康的组织。
This manipulation is often a long, gradual process, taking months or years to change your attitudes so that you'll commit.
产生这种想法是一个漫长、渐进的过程，需要几个月或几年的时间来改变你的态度，这样你才会对他们死心塌地。
The leaders are typically very charismatic and confident.
邪教的领头通常都很有魅力，很自信。
They do things to make you like them and their group, which is called ingratiation.
他们做一些让你喜欢他们以及团队的事情，这被称为讨好。
Sometimes they'll give small gifts or do favors.
有时他们会送些小礼物或或者给你一些好处。
Thanks to reciprocity, it makes us want to give something back.
出于互惠互利，我们会想要回报他们。
Then, to get you to stick around, they use techniques like fear, humiliation, or shutting down any dissent or questions.
然后，为了不让你离开，他们会使用恐惧、羞辱或拒绝任何异议或问题等技巧。
And they often isolate you, restricting your independence, like if and where you work, and whom you're allowed to talk to.
他们经常孤立你，限制你的自主性，比如你在哪里工作，可以和谁交谈。
When everyone around you seems to believe in the group's mission,
当你周围的人似乎都相信团队的使命时，
and any voices that say otherwise are quickly shut down, it's hard to question what's going on.
其它任何声音很快就会消失，很难质疑到底发生了什么。
And if your old life is gone and you have no job, friends, or family to return to, it's a lot harder to leave.
过去的日子不再，没有工作、朋友、家人，你就很难离开。
But it is possible.
但也不是不可能。
Once out, people often deal with many mental health problems because of the trauma and abuse they might have experienced, developing things like PTSD and other issues.
一旦逃离邪教，因为曾经的创伤和虐待，通常会出现许多心理健康问题，发展成创伤后应激障碍和其它心理问题。
The good news is that research is being done to understand how to better help people leave cults, return to regular society, and live a healthy life.
值得庆幸的是，研究人员正在研究如何更好地帮助人们脱离邪教，回归正常社会，过上健康的生活。
A lot of therapeutic techniques are involved, from focusing on basic mental health to unpacking why they joined a cult in the first place
很多治疗技术都涉及从关注基本的心理健康到揭开他们最初加入邪教的原因。
and unlearning any harmful beliefs the cult gave them.
并消除邪教带给他们的任何有害的信念。
And the other good news is that psychologists do know a thing or two about how to resist persuasion.
另一点值得庆幸的是，心理学家确实知道关于如何抵制说服的一两个方法。
For instance, there's forewarning:
例如，预警：
If you know that someone's going to try to convince you to do something or buy something,
如果你知道有人试图说服你去做某事或买东西，
you tend to evaluate them and their message more negatively, so you're less persuaded.
你往往会对他们和他们传达的信息做出负面评价，所以你更不容易被说服。
But, according to a 2009 study by a researcher at Opole University in Poland, this doesn't work equally well on all kinds of messages.
但是，根据2009年波兰奥波莱大学一名研究员的研究，并非所有信息都是如此。
Forewarning helps us resist persuasion more if the cult is focusing on your personal life.
如果邪教关注你的个人生活，预警能帮助我们更加抵抗说服。
Because when we think about ourselves and our personal values, we're more protective.
因为当我们想到自身以及个人价值观时，保护意识会更强。
But if the persuasion is focused on bigger philosophical things, like why the answer to life, the universe, and everything could be 42, the warning doesn't have as much impact.
但如果说服专注于更大的哲学问题，比如为什么生命、宇宙和万物的答案可能是42，那么警告的作用就没那么大了。
So it's normal to want to belong, figure out who you are, and hang out with cool people.
所以，想要融入社会，想要知道自己是谁，想要和很酷的人在一起的想法很正常。
But not every group has your best interests in mind… so just be careful.
但并不是每个小组都把你的最大利益放在心上，所以要小心。
And there are plenty of awesome communities out there, too.
还有很多很棒的社区。
Thanks for watching this episode of SciShow Psych.
感谢收看心理科学秀节目。
If you want to know more about different ways group identity can get destructive,
如果你想知道更多关于群体认同的破坏性方式，
you can watch our video about why people riot.
你可以观看我们的视频，了解为什么会产生暴动。
And if you want to keep learning about humans with us twice a week, you can go to youtube.com/scishowpsych and subscribe.
如果你想每周和我们一起学习两次人类知识，你可以登陆youtube.com/scishowpsych订阅我们的节目。
