The article considers a number of aspects concerned with the influence of psychocults on the personality of its adherers basing on the literature theoretical analysis on the case of the psycho-cult “Vedic feminity”. The authors have identified certain sect attributes peculiar to the psycho-cult “Vedic feminist”: focus on personal contact in the recruitment process; the commitment to turn the member into a successful person; a mentor personality cult; deprivation of conviction in one’s own beliefs and reassessment of the passed life; creating dependence on the organization and turning the member into an obedient doer. The authors examined the process of taking control over a personality and consciousness on the BITE Model, which includes the control over behavior, information, thinking, and emotions. The findings have revealed that affiliation with a psycho-cult changes self-esteem and self-acceptance of female members, leads to domination of the external motivation system over the internal one, violates the ability to asses one’s own competence.

Lutoshliva Ekaterina Stanislavovna, Candidate of Sciences (Pedagogy), Associate Professor, Irkutsk State University, 1, K. Marx st., Irkutsk, 664003, Russian Federation, e-mail: eka3676@yandex.ru

Osipenok Oksana Aleksndrovna, Candidate of Sciences (Pedagogy), Associate Professor, Head of the Department of Foreign Languages for Training, Irkutsk State University, 1, K. Marx st., Irkutsk, 664003, Russian Federation, e-mail: cominagetcha@mail.ru

Kalinovskaya Evgenia Dmitrievna, Master’s Degree, Faculty of Psychology, Irkutsk State University, 1, K. Marx st., Irkutsk, 664003, Russian Federation, e-mail: erely@mail.ru

Karnakova Irina Mikhailovna, Senior Lecturer, Department of Foreign Languages for Training Non-Linguistic Specialities, 1, K. Marx st., Irkutsk, 664003, Russian Federation, e-mail: karnakova.i@mail.ru

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