TED-Ed

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/why-do-people-join-cults-janja-lalich Today, there are thousands of cults around the world. Broadly speaking, a cult is a group or movement with a shared commitment to a usually extreme ideology that’s typically embodied in a charismatic leader. But what exactly differentiates cults from other groups – and why do people join them? Janja Lalich describes how cults recruit and manipulate their members. Lesson by Janja Lalich, animation by Globizco.