Final answer:
According to Robert J. Lifton, the three primary characteristics of a cult include a charismatic leader, the implementation of 'coercive persuasion' or 'thought reform', and the exploitation of group members by the leader and the ruling coterie.
Step-by-step explanation:
Robert J. Lifton, a psychiatrist and well-known researcher of cult behavior, identified three primary characteristics of a cult. First, a charismatic leader who increasingly becomes an object of worship as the general principles that may have originally sustained the group lose their power. Secondly, a process Lifton calls 'coercive persuasion' or 'thought reform' is implemented, and it is essentially a form of brainwashing. Lastly, the exploitation of group members by the leader and the ruling coterie. This exploitation can take various forms, including economic, sexual, or psychological.
In the context of a new religious movement (NRM), which is sometimes used interchangeably with the term 'cult', the followers are often led by a highly charismatic leader and are subjected to various forms of exploitation, notably economic and psychological. Examples of groups that are controversially labeled as cults today include the Church of Scientology and the Hare Krishna movement.
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