Although many popular commentators, including psychologist Margaret Singer, speculate that Applewhite brainwashed his followers, many academics have rejected the "brainwashing" label as an oversimplification that does not express the nuances of the process by which the followers were influenced.
Meskipun banyak komentator populer, termasuk psikolog Margaret Singer, berspekulasi bahwa Applewhite mencuci otak para pengikutnya, banyak akademisi yang menolak label "mencuci otak" sebagai sebagai penyederhanaan yang tidak mengekspresikan nuansa proses di mana para pengikut tersebut dipengaruhi.