Due to a recent experience, I began researching cliques in an effort to better understand the dynamics of how and why they operate...In the past, I associated cliques with "young" people, specifically teenage girls....Big mistake!...Teens have graduated!...Much to their delight, these adult women (and men) have discovered the internet is a perfect place to exercise their control issues....Victims are often people they resent, envy, feel have stepped on thier toes, or just plain don't like for whatever reason... Unfortunately they use the "strength in numbers" game to hurt and alienate others in an effort to elevate low self esteem and disguise insecurities....Much like cults, cliques use intimidation, innuendo, and reverse psychology to sway consensus by casting themselves as the " virtuous" ones and their victims as the "bad" guys....The bigger the power trip, the more dangerous and damaging the game becomes...The most relevant connection between cliques and cults is that both are based on the same dynamic....One "central" person surrounds him or herself with synchophants who feed their ego...

I found two really good books on this subject...Both were written by Roselind Wiseman....The first, titled "Queenbees and Wannabees", is geared toward the younger set and was the basis for the movie "Mean Girls" ...Wiseman's second book, titled "Queenbees and Kingpins", speakes about the adult world of cliques..She formalized the structure of the clique as follows:

Queen Bee
Sidekick
Banker
Floater
Torn Bystander
Pleaser/Wannabe/Messenger
Target.

The book goes into a detailed accounting of how the clique forms and how people play each role..... Wiseman also gives good advice on how to "deal" if you are being targeted by a clique....Great read!!