Social psychology examines the influence of groups on the developing self as well as the influence that an individual has on group. Although those with those with good intentions should use power with virtue, many of the world’s most powerful people use power in ways that purposefully harm other people. Social power refers to the force available to the influence in motivating change

A power- abusing “religious” leader is Reverend Jim Jones, born 1931 in Crete, Indiana a rural community (Wikipedia). Jones was a voracious reader as a child studying Joseph Statin, Karl Marx, Mahatma Gandhi and Adlof Hitler (Reiterman, Tim and John Jacobs).He studied each carefully, noting their strengths and weaknesses. In psychological term this is referring to as behaviorism According to his childhood acquaintances, they recalled Jones as being a “really weird kid” who was “obsessed with religion….obsessed with death…” (Catherine Wessinger).

In human, awareness of the fact that one is acting deceptively often leads to telltale signs of deception. Therefore, if self-deception enables someone to believe their distortions, they will not present such signs of deception and will therefore appear to be telling the truth. As known in psychology this referred to as Delusional Disorder, it was note that he might have this disorder. “Individuals with delusional disorder are not always dangerous, but they can be when they act on their delusions” (B.Lahey).

“As a young man Jones became a student pastor of a Methodist church, but left that church because its leaders barred him from integrating blacks into his congregation (Catherine Wessinger). Despite his lack of theological training, James was motivated to start Peoples Temple. He disliked mainstream denominations that serves single- race congregation, racial quality was one of his goals. Social influence is the exercise of social power by a person or group to choose the attitude or behavior of others in a particular direction The Peoples Temple Church was form based on Christianity. Jones style was a mixture of both Pentecostalism and Methodism that appealed to the African American community. They attached themselves to the Disciplines of Christ denomination in Indianapolis, Indiana. They followed a version of the teaching of Jesus that was modified by their founder and leader, Jim Jones. They were people who had very high hope for the world and Jim Jones promised to bring about social justice. Temple people was a unanimous group because conformity was high they all felt the same way about Jim Jones mission. Jones also used fear arousal to recruit his followers by Genocide and thermonuclear war, using his charisma to persuade people to join his ministries. People used snap judgments, they thought he was wonderful. They did not take the time to find out what he was really like. It appears as if they were looking for a sense of direction and belonging. The People Temple was actually a cult one of more gruesome cults to use this ability. Cults cause social and personal disruption. A cult is simply nothing other than a person using mind control over the people that are apart of it. It can easily be identify because the group’s lifestyle usually clearly separated them from the rest of society. Perceiving socialism as an alternative to vast economic inequalities, Jones later recalled that his sense of compassion led him to reject the American system of capitalism. Upon receiving threats, which made it clear to Jones that Indiana, was not yet ready for the changes he advocated. He looked else where for his multiracial community. Jim Jones and about seventy followers moved to California in 1965 to a safe place from nuclear war. He started programs to help the elderly and poor. Jones began to believe he was a prophet of God perhaps a new Messiah (B. Lahey). His circle of friends once included leading politicians, who once defined him against allegations of abuse (PBS). It seems decidedly a stretch of credibility to think that African American members of People temple were influences by these religious-political currents, both in their decision to join the Temple. The subsequent decision of many of to leave the United States. Over the next several years, Jones and his followers relocated to Guyana. The United States began to investigate the temple; people that were once acquaintances with Jones were “attempting to damage Rev. Jones reputation” wills “apparent bold-faced lies” (Reiterman, Tim and John Jacobs). On November 18, 1978 followers of Jim Jones shot and killed United States Congressman Leo J. Ryan and four others, after murdering a United States Congressman, Jones knew the end of his rule was near. Obedience as is known is doing what one is told to do by people in authority. Jones ordered his entire followers, some nine hundred and fourteen people, to commit what e called “Revolutionary suicide”; this included more than two hundred children. Revolutionary suicide as he lead them to believe was not killing one self but Based on the information obtain about Rev. Jim Jones and the Massacre in Guyana this could happen due to the fact of how he was raised, the role he played in his followers life. From this, we could conclude that society places a big role in the lives of many. Being influence, obedient all contribute to the social being and the decision making that takes places in ones life. The way one portray themselves to the public influences others to believe them this is clearly want Rev. Jim Jones did he studied Joseph Statin, Karl Marx, Mahatma Gandhi and Adlof Hitler (Reiterman, Tim and John Jacobs).He studied each cautiously, note their strengths and weaknesses and was able to influence his followers to the end. He was able to initiate action because having power makes people less dependent on others. They felt better equipped to act on their own without having to consider how others might impede or obstruct their actions. With power, people easily and quickly exert their influence on the situation. The decisions made and the actions taken by those with high social power are much more likely to affect other people’s lives.

REFERENCES American Experience documentary, “Jonestown: The Life & Death of Peoples Temple” shown on PBS American Psychological Association. (2001). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author. Hall, John R. (1987) Gone from the Promised Land: Jonestown in American Cultural History. New Brunswick, New Jersey: Transaction Publishers. Pp.3. ISBN 0-88738-124-3 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim-Jones # cite-note-3 http://www.answers.com/ topic/jim-jones Jonestown: The Life & Death of Peoples Temple. American Experience, PBS.org Lahey, B.B (2001). Psychology an introduction (7th Edition) University of Chicago New York, New York, Mc Graw-Hill Companies, Inc Reiterman, Tim & John Jacobs. Raven: The Untold Story of Rev. Jim Jones & His People. Dutton, 1982. ISBN 0-225-24136-1 p.24 Reiterman, Tim & John Jacobs. Raven: The Untold Story of Rev. Jim Jones & His People. Dutton, 1982. ISBN 0-225-24136-1 p.71 Wessinger, Catherine. How the Millennium Comes Violently: From Jonestown to Heaven’s Gate. Seven Bridges Press, 2000. ISBN 978-1889119243

[pic]