Dekonversion och självuppfattning
En religionspsykologisk studie av dekonvertiters berättelser
This study focuses on aspects of cult experiences, given by deconverted formermembers of closed religious movements. Their testimonies were published inbooks or interviews. The aims of the study were to understand the interactionbetween the religious group and its members, living in high tension towardsmainstream society and their testimonies of altered self-esteem during attraction,membership, deconversion and defection. The purpose was to understand how aperson´s self-esteem is affected by inner mechanisms of closed religiousmovements and how these experiences affects a persons identity. Another aspectwas whether there might be differences in altered self-esteem, between those whoenlisted as adults, and those who were born into the closed religious contexts.Social Identity Theory, Sigmund Freud´s and Carl Rogers models of personal egowere used as models of interpretations. Qualitative methods have been used foranalysis of data. The defectors´ testimonies could be interpretated in terms ofaltered social identity. During attraction and membership, the members perceivedhim or herself as an in-group member, which boosted their self-esteem. Theirperceived selves existed in congruence with group norms. Being a formermember lead to a reversed process of socialisation and self perception, duringwhich the out-group became a new in-group in order to enhance self-esteem.Those, who enlisted as adults, reformed back to their former identity and therebyenhanced their self-esteem by integrating their cult experiences with their formerself. Those, who were born into the religious movements, had troubles to adapt tomainstream society, as they did not have any alternative personal identity outsidethe group, and therefore experienced difficulties to enhance self-esteem.