Why do people join sects?

Question 1

Reasons

Answer 1

Marginalisation
relative deprivation
social change
status frustration

Question 2

Marginalisation

Answer 2

disillusion + look for more genuine ways of spirituality than churches

sects emerge from poor - provide a theodicy of disprivilege

e.g. their promise of salvation is compensation for poverty e.g. Nation of Islam

Question 3

Relative deprivation

Answer 3

people feel deprived in comparison to those around them

social deprivation - from lack of power + job satisfaction

organismic deprivation - ill health so turn to sects to be healed

ethical deprivation - world in moral decline so retreat to introversionist sect

Question 4

social change

Answer 4

change creates anomie - rapid change undermines traditional norms and values

people joined sects in 18th century due to industrialisation and urbanisation

in 20th century it was due to secularisation and MC youth crisis of meaning rejecting materialism

Question 5

Status frustration

Answer 5

people feel unhappy with their position

seen in young through childhood to adulthood

NRMs offer young an identity + overcome status frustration