Large-group awareness training

The term large-group awareness training (LGAT) refers to activities - usually offered by groups with links to the human potential movement - which claim to increase self-awareness and to bring about desirable transformations in individuals' personal lives.^[1] LGATs are unconventional; they often take place over several days,^[2]^{[need quotation to verify]}^[3] and may compromise participants' mental wellbeing.^[4]^[5]

LGAT programs may involve several hundred people at a time.^[6] Though early definitions cited LGATs as featuring unusually long durations, more recent texts^[which?] describe trainings lasting from a few hours to a few days.

Forsyth and Corazzini cite Lieberman (1994) as suggesting "that at least 1.3 million Americans have taken part in LGAT sessions".^[7]

^ Coon, Dennis (2004). Psychology: A Journey. Thomson Wadsworth. pp. 520, 528, 538. ISBN 0-534-63264-5.
^ Philip Cushman (1993). "Mass marathon trainings". The politics of transformation: Recruitment-Indoctrination processes in a mass marathon psychology organization (Thesis). St. Martin's Press.
^ Hughes, Steven James (1998). Developmental Effects of Participation in a Large Group Awareness Training. University of Minnesota. p. 2. Retrieved 1 July 2021. LGATs typically take place over the course of three to five days or over sequential weekends. The time spent in the trainings is intensive, normally consisting of 12 to 15 hour days.
^ Cite error: The named reference lieberman was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference Haaken 1983 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Weigel, Richard G. (2002). "The marathon encounter group—vision and reality: Exhuming the body for a last look". Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research. 54 (3). American Psychological Association: 186–198. doi:10.1037/1061-4087.54.3.186. ISSN 1065-9293. The groups I'm talking about are est (and its more recent descendant, The Forum) and Lifespring, both of which use structured activities; involve several hundred or more participants and one central leader ...
^ Forsyth, Donelson R.; Corazzini, John G. (2000). "Groups as Change Agents" (PDF). In Snyder, Charles Richard; Ingram, R E (eds.). Handbook of psychological change: Psychotherapy processes and practices for the 21st century. New York: Wiley. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-02-27. Retrieved 2009-09-28. Lieberman suggests that at least 1.3 million Americans have taken part in LGAT sessions.

[denniscoon-1] Coon, Dennis (2004). Psychology: A Journey. Thomson Wadsworth. pp. 520, 528, 538. ISBN 0-534-63264-5.

[marathon-2] Philip Cushman (1993). "Mass marathon trainings". The politics of transformation: Recruitment-Indoctrination processes in a mass marathon psychology organization (Thesis). St. Martin's Press.

[3] Hughes, Steven James (1998). Developmental Effects of Participation in a Large Group Awareness Training. University of Minnesota. p. 2. Retrieved 1 July 2021. LGATs typically take place over the course of three to five days or over sequential weekends. The time spent in the trainings is intensive, normally consisting of 12 to 15 hour days.

[lieberman-4] Cite error: The named reference lieberman was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Haaken_1983-5] Cite error: The named reference Haaken 1983 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[6] Weigel, Richard G. (2002). "The marathon encounter group—vision and reality: Exhuming the body for a last look". Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research. 54 (3). American Psychological Association: 186–198. doi:10.1037/1061-4087.54.3.186. ISSN 1065-9293. The groups I'm talking about are est (and its more recent descendant, The Forum) and Lifespring, both of which use structured activities; involve several hundred or more participants and one central leader ...

[7] Forsyth, Donelson R.; Corazzini, John G. (2000). "Groups as Change Agents" (PDF). In Snyder, Charles Richard; Ingram, R E (eds.). Handbook of psychological change: Psychotherapy processes and practices for the 21st century. New York: Wiley. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-02-27. Retrieved 2009-09-28. Lieberman suggests that at least 1.3 million Americans have taken part in LGAT sessions.

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