Today’s episode of The Psychology World Podcasts goes into cognitive psychology and social psychology as the psychology podcast episode is on the Psychology of Cults.
Firstly, I just wanted to give a massive thank you to Lawrence for his very kind comment on last week’s show. I love hearing from you all. It means a lot to me to know that you enjoy the show.
The Self-Soothing Prejudice:
This type of prejudice is when we discount a lot of people, mass or bulk discounting, so we can maintain peace of mind when we feel threatened.
For example, if you’re attending a party and someone comes up to you. Making you feel threatened then quite naturally you might go:
You might be the best footballer in the school but I’m the best worker at my firm.
I don’t know. It’s just an example.
However, you get the idea because you discount those people who make you feel threatened by pointing out you’re better at something else.
Overall, this type of prejudice is perfectly natural as it helps us to sustain our peace of mind.
Although, this self-soothing prejudice has a highly negative side when it reaches extreme levels.
As a result, the self-soothing prejudice corrupts us and if you engage in Absolute self-soothing prejudice then this truly as well as absolutely corrupts you.
This happens when we constantly bulk ourselves up with the self-soothing prejudice. You can easily compare it to using trump cards. Whenever you face a threat you use a trump card and instantly you have the winning answer to the threat.
The Social Psychology of Self-Soothing Prejudice:
This podcast episode now turns towards human relationships and by extension social psychology.
Due to when we constantly as well as continually bulk ourselves up with self-soothing prejudice, it becomes toxic to our friends and other relationships. Also, they may call you names. Like: you’re a sociopath or psychopath.
Leading you to, what guess, pulling out another trump card to show to yourself that you are far better than these name-callers.
Overall, these trump cards come from Cults.
The Psychology of Cults and The Self-Soothing Prejudice:
Interestingly, Cults give out trumps cards to their members as part of their appeal and it has a lot of interesting effects of their members.
Nonetheless, the members take these trump cards so they can be better than everyone else, and they are willing to be brainwashed.
Although, the members come to the Cult because the Cult has discovered the ‘truth’ and everyone else believes in the lies. Yet the members fail to see that these trump cards are no different from other cults. Regardless of the Cult’s ‘truth’
Building upon this further, the trump cards allow the members to become absolute in their perfection and their mistakes aren’t mistakes as well as they become infallible. All to provide themselves with a fantasy break from the jealous anxiety of everyday life.
Over time this becomes addictive and engaging with the self-soothing prejudice and the trump card becomes more natural than rational thoughtfulness.
Overall, engaging in extremely high levels of self-soothing prejudice is very dangerous.
I hope you’ve enjoyed today’s episode on the social psychology and cognitive psychology of Cults. If you want to learn more then please check out the following links:
Have a great day everyone!
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