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"And the Next Thing You Know . . .": Ideological Differences in Slippery Slope Thinking
Rajen A Anderson1, Daan Scheepers2,3, Benjamin C Ruisch4
1University of Leeds, UK.
Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin
|November 13, 2025
Summary
Conservatives more strongly endorse slippery slope arguments (SSAs) due to ideological differences in intuitive thinking. This finding was consistent across 15 studies, including social media analysis, and linked to punitive attitudes.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Political Psychology
- Behavioral Economics
Background:
- Slippery slope arguments (SSAs) are prevalent in political discourse but lack empirical investigation.
- Understanding the psychological underpinnings of SSAs is crucial for analyzing political reasoning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate who is most prone to slippery slope thinking.
- To explore the reasons behind general engagement in such thinking.
- To examine the role of political ideology in endorsing SSAs.
Main Methods:
- Conducted 15 empirical studies with diverse samples from four countries.
- Analyzed natural language usage on the social media platform Reddit.
- Tested hypotheses regarding political extremists, liberals, and conservatives' endorsement of SSAs.
Main Results:
- Consistently found that political conservatives more strongly endorse SSAs.
- Attributed this difference to ideological variations in intuitive thinking.
- Observed these ideological differences reflected in social media behavior.
- Demonstrated that slippery slope thinking influences punitive attitudes.
Conclusions:
- Political ideology, specifically conservatism, is associated with a greater endorsement of SSAs.
- Ideological differences in intuitive thinking explain this association.
- Slippery slope thinking has tangible consequences for attitudes towards punishment.
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