An October 2025 YouGov survey asked Americans which groups they think use cult-like tactics, which groups could be defined as cults, and who is susceptible to being recruited into cults. Many Americans think the average person is susceptible to being recruited into a cult, but very few see themselves as susceptible.
Majorities of Americans say that political groups (68%), religious groups (64%), and spiritual groups (62%) very or somewhat often engage in coercive or cult-like behavior. Majorities say the same about each of social media platforms (56%) and online groups (56%); 48% say this about multi-level marketing businesses.
Democrats are twice as likely as Republicans to say military groups often engage in cult-like behavior (49% vs. 26%). Democrats also are more likely than Republicans to say cult-like behavior often occurs with religious groups (72% vs. 53%) and spiritual groups (67% vs. 56%). Democrats are less likely than Republicans to say educational groups often engage in cult-like behavior (21% vs. 37%).
Nearly half (43%) of Americans say MAGA is a cult. About as many say QAnon supporters (41%) are a cult. Smaller shares of Americans identify fraternities or sororities (29%), the Republican Party (27%), Taylor Swift fans (25%), the Democratic Party (24%), and pro-life groups (23%) are cults.
Democrats are much more likely than Republicans to say MAGA (71% vs. 13%), the Republican Party (46% vs. 6%), and QAnon supporters (55% vs. 28%) are cults. Republicans are much more likely than Democrats to say climate change activists (38% vs. 5%) and the Democratic Party (39% vs. 5%) are cults.
Half (48%) of Americans believe that anyone is vulnerable to being recruited by a coercive or cult-like group, while 41% say only certain types of people are vulnerable. Democrats are more likely than Republicans to believe anyone is vulnerable to cult recruitment (53% vs. 45%). Adults under 30 are more likely than older Americans to say anyone is vulnerable to being recruited by a cult-like group (59% vs. 45%).
About half (53%) of Americans believe that people who join coercive or cult-like groups are mostly victims of manipulation. Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say this (62% vs. 52%). 28% of Americans — including 21% of Democrats and 33% of Republicans — say people who join these groups are mostly responsible for their own choices.
Nearly two-thirds (62%) of Americans think the average person is very or somewhat susceptible to being recruited by coercive or cult-like groups, including 12% who think the average person is very susceptible. Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say they think the average person is susceptible to being recruited by cult-like groups (69% vs. 55%).
Far less Americans (17%) say they themselves are susceptible to being recruited by cult-like groups. Adults under 30 are about twice as likely as older Americans to say they believe they are susceptible to being recruited by cult-like groups (29% vs. 14%).
About one-third (35%) of Americans have been approached in person by a group or person that was part of a coercive or cult-like group. Americans who live in the West are more likely than those who live in other regions to have been approached by a group or person in a cult-like group (43% vs. 28%).
Only 14% of Americans have been approached online by a group or person that was part of a coercive or cult-like group.
One-third (32%) of Americans say they know someone who has joined a coercive or cult-like group, including 18% with an acquaintance, 12% with a friend, 12% with a family member (12%), and 3% who have personally joined a cult-like group. 40% of Americans who live in the West know someone who has joined a cult-like group, compared to 29% of those who live in other parts of the country.
Nearly half (45%) of Americans say coercive or cult-like groups are more common today than they were in the past. Americans 65 and older are more likely than younger adults to say cults are more common now (56% vs. 42%).
Related:
- What do Americans think is part of MAGA culture?
- Polarization is getting worse: Few see shared values with those in the other party
- Americans' views on 35 religious groups, organizations, and belief systems
See the results for this YouGov survey
— Carl Bialik and Taylor Orth contributed to this article
Methodology: This article includes results from an online survey conducted on October 2 - 6, 2025 among 2,232 U.S. adult citizens. Respondents were selected from YouGov’s opt-in panel to be representative of adult U.S. citizens. The sample was weighted according to gender, age, race, education, 2024 presidential vote, 2020 election turnout and presidential vote, baseline party identification, and current voter registration status. 2024 presidential vote, at time of weighting, was estimated to be 48% Harris and 50% Trump. Demographic weighting targets come from the 2019 American Community Survey. Baseline party identification is the respondent’s most recent answer given around November 8, 2024, and is weighted to the estimated distribution at that time (31% Democratic, 33% Republican). The margin of error for the overall sample is approximately 3 percentage points.
Image: Getty
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