The Cult Information Centre (CIC) defines a cult as a group having all of the following five characteristics:
- It uses psychological coercion to recruit, indoctrinate and retain its members
- It forms an elitist totalitarian society
- Its founder leader is self-appointed, dogmatic, messianic, not accountable and has charisma
- It believes the end justifies the means in order to solicit funds and recruit people
- Its wealth does not benefit its members or society.
Categories of Cults
| Religious Cults | Therapy Cults |
| Communal living common | Communal Living rare |
| Members may leave or not join society’s workforce | Members usually stay in society’s workforce |
| Average age at the point of recruitment is in the 20s | Average age at the point of recruitment is in the mid 30s |
| Registered as religious groups | Registered as non profit making groups |
| Appear to offer association with a group interested in making the world a better place via political, spiritual or other means | Appear to offer association with a group giving courses in some kind of self improvement or self help technique or therapy |