Four women who were or had been members of the Unification church were
studied by means of clinical interviews and psychological tests. The
authors found that these women shared the following characteristics: 1)
difficulties with heterosexual relations; 2) idealism and usually the wish
to serve or unify others; 3) a spiritual world view with "magical-
mystical" overtones; and 4) a tendency to deny and "wish away" threatening
perceptions, specifically noted in projective testing. They suggest how
these characteristics may have influenced the subjects' affinity for the
life style and doctrines of the sect.Abstract Teaser