What is the psychological profile of someone who as an adult, becomes a Jehovah's Witness?

Question

any psychologists or behavioral science majors in R&S?

LP. lol. you may ask that in your own question, this is MY question, thank you very much.

Ishvarlin, since you're sharing.. do you have something to add about your own situation? I saw your reference in another post of yours.. but I hesitate to mention it, since it's not my "issue"

Salt, tsk tsk. You have evaded the question. It was a question and perhaps it would've been or will be answered with "well rounded, well adjusted adult" but it wasn't and hasn't been. One behavioral science major answered already, did this not please you?

jwfacts, that's very interesting...

Answer 1

Yes, I have a degree in Behavioral Science (a dual major in psychology and sociology). My parents also became JWs and are still active after 35 years. I also run my own ministry helping ex-cultists recover from their sordid experiences. Surely, I am thrice qualified to respond, although said response is sure to get pleanty of thumbs down. Go figure. I guess qualified means nothing if you rock the boat around here.

Anyway, (and this applies to ALL cultists, not just singling out one group): People join cults because they are searching for something. Period. What they are searching for may vary slightly from person to person, deepending on their particular emotional or psychological need, but they wish to find fulfillment, generally, in one of the following areas:

1. A need to belong to a group; to fit in somewhere. This person probably doesn't feel "understood" elsewhere or can't seem to find his/her niche in this world. The "love bombing" will sell them on the idea of joining.

2. A need to identify with an ideology or belief system. It IS true that if you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything! Clearly.

3. A sincere desire to understand God's plan for humankind. How convenient that such nice, well-groomed people are willing to provide the convenience for you of coming into your own home and offering you a free Bible study. They promise that they have all of the answers to the questions you've not been able to have answered from other sources.

Answer 2

Well I am not either category, but I can tell you it probably varies, as everyone is an individual. I was baptized at 17, that day among others, a guy was baptized and was around 19, and a woman was probably around 30. We actually got to know each other right before then and while our tastes are different, we seem to share the desire to serve God.

Situation?? Not sure whether that is in reference to my schizophrenia or disillusioned brother, but have no problem talking about either.

Answer 3

Cults attract people of all levels of Intelligence and all personality types. There are highly intelligent people in all religions. It is generally more related to a particular emotional need that is being filled at the time.

Cults withhold information not flattering of the group, and so many capable people are sucked in without full knowledge of the history and core doctrine. Few people become Jehovah's Witnesses that know the history and changed doctrines prior to baptism. However, it is a lot harder to leave if finding these things out after many years of involvement due to cognitive dissonance. (see http://www.jwfacts.com/index_files/mindcontrol.htm)

The reliance on rules and perfection as defined by High Control groups have been shown by Myer Briggs researcher Flavil Yeakley to result in followers changing psychological types towards a group norm.

Yeakley tested hundreds of members of the Boston Church of Christ, Church of Scientology, Hare Krishnas, Maranatha Ministries, the Children of God, the Unification Church (Moon organization) and The Way against the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator(MBTI).

Yeakley asked subjects to rated him/herself on the MBTI according to:
1) Prior to membership or five years before if they were long term members;
2) How they viewed themselves at the present time;
3) How they thought they would be in the future.

The results showed that all participants had a normal range of personality variations prior to joining the group. However, on the second and third taking of this test, they dramatically shifted temperaments. He found that "the observed changes in psychological type scores were not random since there was a clear convergence in a single type"(p.35).

Yeakley concludes that it is dangerous to attempt to force a change in psychological types.

“They are producing conformity in psychological type. That is unnatural, unhealthy, and dangerous. But the Boston Church of Christ is not trying to produce changes in psychological type scores. They have no interest in psychological type theory. What they want is for their members to grow spiritually, to become more like Jesus Christ, and to be more evangelistic. They want to help their members overcome temptation and abstain from various sins. The way they go about doing this, however, is producing an unintended byproduct that is not healthy. They are changing personalities by making their members over after the group norm. That extreme must be avoided.”(p.47)

In Christianity, this phenomenon is most prevalent in fundamentalist churches, very conservative evangelicalism and some Pentecostal and charismatic groups. Yeakley conducted the same tests on five mainline denominations – Baptist, Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist and Presbyterian, showing no significant changes in psychological type.

Answer 4

These are the "psychological" requirements of anyone who wishes to become one of Jehovah's Witnesses:

"Come to me, all you who are toiling and loaded down, and I will refresh you. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am mild-tempered and lowly in heart, and you will find refreshment for your souls." -Matthew 11:28, 29

"Happy are the mild-tempered ones, since they will inherit the earth. Happy are those hungering and thirsting for righteousness, since they will be filled. Happy are the merciful, since they will be shown mercy. Happy are the pure in heart, since they will see God. Happy are the peaceable, since they will be called ‘sons of God." -Matthew 5:5-9

Answer 5

What is the psychological profile of someone who as an adult, becomes obsessed with asking meaningless questions about Jehovah's Witnesses instead of asking about the fundamentals of their teachings?

Answer 6

Nope - I am extremely unqualified to answer this question.
But I will anyway, and I will just base it on the adults that I know that have converted :)
Gullible (obviously), they had a terrible family life as a child or young adult and they crave acceptence, they have low self esteem and need praise for doing "good things", they are uneducated secularly and perhaps have a low income and are just looking for something "better".
Remember, this is based solely on the witnesses that I know personally - and those things happen to be true in all cases.

Answer 7

I got this from my source. Check out the link to look at the chart. It didn't paste well here.

It has always been a belief of mine that cult groups put an excessive burden of legalism upon their adherents -- this is because they do not have a proper understanding of grace due to their lack of understanding of who God is and what He has done for us. Often these aberrant groups require substantial commitments of time and energy from their membership in order to maintain a good standing in the group. Since cults are typically short on grace and long on law (mixed with group obligations, guilt-inducing teachings, and isolationism), I have always assumed that this unnecessary difficulty would lead to emotional and mental problems.
A few years ago, I heard of an article in a mental health journal that documented the population percentages of Jehovah's Witnesses in mental wards. It took some effort, but I found it. Following are excerpts from that article. Judge for yourself if the Jehovah's Witness organization contributed to the demise of some of its members.
(The following quotes are taken from the British Journal of Psychiatry: the Journal of Mental Science. Published by authority of The Royal College of Psychiatrists, Vol. 126, Ashford, Kent, Headley Brothers LTD, 1975. The author is John Spencer.)

"During the period of 36 months from January 1971 to December 1973 there were 7,546 inpatient admissions to the West Australian Mental Health Service Psychiatric Hospitals. Of these 50 were reported to be active members of the Jehovah's Witnesses movement" (p. 557).
"Of the 50 admitted 22 were diagnosed as schizophrenic, 17 as paranoid schizophrenic, 10 as neurotic and one as alcoholic" (pp. 557, 558).

Total admissions Annual rate per 1,000 population Jehovah's Witnesses admissions Annual rate per 1,000 population
All diagnoses 7,546 2.54 50 4.17
Schizophrenia (295) 1,826 .61 22 1.83
Paranoid schizophrenia (195.3) 1,154 .38 17 1.4
Neurosis (300) 1,182 .39 10 .76

"From the figures gathered in the Table it is clear that members of the Jehovah's Witnesses movement are over-represented in admissions to the Mental Health Services of this State. Furthermore, it is clear from the Table that the incidence of schizophrenia amongst them is about three times as high as for the rest of the general population, while the figure for paranoid schizophrenia is nearly four times that of the general population" (p. 558).
"The study does not shed light on the question of symptom or defense mechanism, but suggests that either the Jehovah's Witnesses sect tends to attract an excess of pre-psychotic individuals who may then break down, or else being a Jehovah's Witness is itself a stress which may precipitate a psychosis" (p. 558).

Answer 8

My guess would be practically anyone who is looking for meaning in life and desperate for some kind of fellowship and belonging.

Do some research on the profile of people who fall prey to extremely controlling organisations and groups that are socially isolating, have leadership you cannot question, seek to uniform all its members and recruitment is its main driving force.

Answer 9

Gullible, not into researching to see if they have truth or not.
One true church wasn't even around before 1850. Made up by a man who was afraid of the 'hell' concept. Like, hmmm I just don't like that part.... lets make it about heaven here on earth shall we, "aye" we shall... and that's how it came to be.

Answer 10

Confused, under educated, co-dependent, easily swayed, misfit with a need to fit in, few or no friends, and a tendency to believe anything they are told.