Degree Name

MA (Master of Arts)

Program

Criminal Justice and Criminology

Date of Award

8-2008

Committee Chair or Co-Chairs

Wayne Gillespie

Committee Members

Dennis Hamm, Michael C. Braswell

Abstract

This study was conducted in an attempt to understand which, if any, groups of college students are susceptible to cult influence based on false perceptions. Religion is a powerful practice that, if used for the wrong reasons, can influence a person to dissolve social and financial relationships with family, friends, and the surrounding community. Surveys were given to randomly selected cluster samples of students currently enrolled at the university. These surveys consisted of demographic questions and a scale designed to measure perceptions. Also devised was a scale to measure traits of depression. Both bivariate and multivariate analysis showed that the depression scale was more significant than the perceptions scale in measuring vulnerability.

Document Type

Thesis - unrestricted

Copyright

Copyright by the authors.

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