Slippery Slope Research Articles

Regular reflection to Mach reflection (RR–MR) transition in short wedges

Regular reflection (RR) to Mach reflection (MR) transitions ( ${\rm RR}\leftrightarrow {\rm MR}$ ) on long wedges in steady supersonic flows have been well studied and documented. However, in a short wedge where the wedge length is small, the transition prediction becomes really challenging owing to the interaction of the expansion fan emanating from the trailing edge of the wedge with the incident shock and the triple/reflection point. The extent of this interaction depends on the distance between the wedge trailing edge and the symmetry line (Ht). This distance is a geometric combination of the distance of the wedge leading edge from the symmetry line $(H)$ , the wedge angle ( $\theta$ ) and the wedge length $(w)$ . In the present study, we used the method of characteristics to model the complete wave interactions which accurately predicted shock curvatures and the reflection configurations for all ranges of the incoming flow Mach number. In the case of short wedges, the transition criterion strongly depends on the wedge length, which can be so adjusted even to eliminate the ${\rm RR}\rightarrow {\rm MR}$ transitions till the wedge angle reaches the no-reflection domain. Transition lines for both the detachment criterion and von Neumann criterion are also drawn to investigate the dual solution domain, and the reflection configurations were verified experimentally for the first time on short wedges. By using proper input configuration parameter ( $w/H$ ), various types of shifts in the dual solution domain for short wedges are studied and categorised into three types, namely Type I, Type II and Type III.

"It's a Slippery Slope": Antecedents of Female-Perpetrated Sexual Abuse of Adolescents in Australian Educational Settings.

Sexual victimization of students endures-especially in secondary schools-and women's perpetration in this setting is increasingly recognized. Nonetheless, our understanding of this population and contemporary cases remains limited, and research in the Australian context is lacking. This study contributes to the evidence base and represents the first Australian study of its kind. We draw on (1) legal documents (N = 19) describing 18 established cases of female-perpetrated sexual abuse against 20 adolescent students (aged 13-17 inclusive) and (2) semi-structured expert interviews with professionals possessing specialized experience of female-perpetrated cases involving adolescent students (N = 8). These data are integrated in a reflexive thematic analysis to identify the personal, contextual, and situational antecedents of female-perpetrated cases thereby exploring the 'why' and 'how' of their perpetration. Taken together, the results indicate a key interaction between individual emotional and relational needs, environmental opportunities, and contextual tolerance. Practical implications for targeting and disrupting these dynamics are discussed.

Danger of Slippery Slopes in Nudge Research

Danger of Slippery Slopes in Nudge Research

Is cannabis a slippery slope? Associations between psychological dysfunctioning, other substance use, and impaired driving, in a sample of active cannabis users.

Cannabis is a gateway drug that can lead to the engagement of other substances. Psychological dysfunctioning and dependence have been highlighted as primary components to substance misuse. The purpose of this study was to investigate what aspects of cannabis use and psychological dysfunctioning are associated with the engagement of other substances and impaired driving. Subject to screening, 200 active adult cannabis users completed an online survey. Existing data involving non-cannabis users (N = 833) were also implemented as comparative data. The comparisons suggested that cannabis users were far more likely to have used other drugs in the past 12 months, compared to non-cannabis users. Bivariate correlations and multiple regressions indicated that the degree of cannabis use and likely dependence, psycho-social motives for using cannabis, emotion dysregulation, and psychopathology were positively associated with the frequency of using and driving on other substances. Finally, an ANOVA demonstrated that outside of age, there were no apparent differences in substance use behaviours, motives for using cannabis, and psychological dysfunction, between medicinal and black-market cannabis users. These findings highlight the potential benefits of incorporating self-regulatory concepts into current road safety initiatives, which aim to reduce the interconnected issue of substance misuse and impaired driving behaviours.

Recovery and Recidivism: The Aftermath of Helping the Organization Unethically

AbstractThis research draws from moral self-regulation and moral disengagement theories to examine how employees react to their own unethical pro-organizational behavior (UPB). We hypothesize that UPB will elicit mixed moral-based cognitive responses among employees that promote both recovery and recidivism. Results of two studies show that, on the one hand, engaging in UPB damaged perpetrators' moral self-concept, captured by an increase in perceived loss of moral credits; this prompted them to perform customer-directed helping behaviors to recover their damaged moral self-concept; on the other hand, UPB also elicited a cognitive justification process, which was related to an increase in subsequent UPB. This nuanced reaction helps explain why individuals' moral self-regulation does not necessarily remedy for moral failings, while also suggesting practical steps that leaders can take to prevent a "slippery slope" pattern of UPB from taking hold in the organization.

Assisted suicide in Switzerland (part 1): Medical-ethical controversies and the dilemma of the sorcerer's apprentice

Based on the cases in which assisted suicide (AS) has taken place in Switzerland in the context of a mental disorder or dementia, we discuss whether the slippery slope argument often brought up by opponents of assisted dying is justified. Long-term data from the Swiss Federal Statistical Office shows that while the number of cases with these «indications» is increasing (1999-2017: on average 21 cases/year vs. 2018-2022: n = 73 cases/year), the percentage share of these diseases in the total number of all AS cases has remained unchanged at around 5 %. Opponents of assisted dying believe that the slippery slope argument is already fulfilled by the fact that these cases occur at all. However, the still limited prevalence of these specific indications which still represent only a minority of assisted suicide cases over time, may be used by advocates of assisted dying to weaken the opposing viewpoint.

Determinants of Tax Compliance Behavior: A Case Study in Ethiopia

Policymakers and tax authorities in developing countries face challenges in comprehending the determinants of tax-compliance behavior. This study employs empirical investigation to explore the factors that influence taxpayers’ voluntary and enforced tax compliance behaviors. Data were collected through a survey questionnaire distributed to 400 taxpayers using simple random sampling and analyzed using an ordered logit model. The results validate the assumptions of the slippery slope framework, showing that trust significantly impacts voluntary tax compliance and that a strong tax authority’s power contributes to more enforced tax compliance in Ethiopia. Additionally, the interaction between trust and power has a more significant effect on enforced tax compliance. This study also emphasizes the importance of improving trust in increasing tax compliance. Moreover, factors such as equity, fairness, tax knowledge, effective tax usage, and taxpayer morale contribute to tax compliance. By identifying factors that contribute to tax compliance, the findings of this research provide valuable insights for tax authorities in Ethiopia and other developing countries in devising strategies to combat tax evasion. This includes implementing a fair tax regime, enhancing the perceived value of public services financed by tax payments, increasing tax knowledge activities to help people understand the importance of paying taxes, and fortifying frameworks to minimize extravagant spending for maintaining public trust and ensuring effective and efficient use of taxpayers’ money.

The perspectives of Māori on community treatment orders: A thematic analysis.

To understand the themes for Māori subjected to compulsory community treatment orders. The Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992 has been utilised in Aotearoa New Zealand for more than three decades. Despite Māori having higher rates of being subject to community treatment orders, there is little research examining their perspectives of its benefits and harms. Thematic analysis of a purposive sample of Māori in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. Five themes were developed. Māori described community treatment orders as restrictive and stigmatising. Some Māori described being poorly informed of the structures surrounding the use of community treatment orders and saw it as a mechanism to circumvent information-giving regarding treatment. Counterbalancing these, Māori described community treatment orders as mandating support and saw them as a mechanism to access care. Finally, some described their compulsory treatment status as unimportant and irrelevant. Thematic analysis identified five clear themes from interview participants. Conceptualisation of community treatment orders was largely negative, although Māori acknowledged that being subject to community treatment orders demanded more support from services. Themes of stigma and restriction are common in the literature, however, conception of the use of community treatment orders to bypass consent is novel. The literature describes community treatment orders as providing support, however, in this study, the interpretation suggests a need to lose personal autonomy to receive care, a potentially 'slippery slope' towards a two-tier type service. These findings remind services of the importance of attending to cultural elements of care, being clear around the process of consent. In terms of policy, weaving in cultural understanding appears to be important from an Indigenous perspective.

Effect of Transfer Pricing on Corporation Tax Compliance Among Multinational Corporations in Nairobi Kenya

Purpose: Tax is a compulsory contribution that is made by the citizens of a country to the government for the provision of public utilities. It is evident from the National Tax Policy, 2024 that the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and the government at large have recently shown a lot of interest in multinationals due to the complexity of their operations and the tendency for them to come up with complex tax avoidance mechanisms. This has also been complicated by the widespread abuse of transfer pricing models adopted when dealing with multinational corporations operating in Kenya. This study looked into effect of transfer pricing on corporate tax compliance among multinational corporation companies in Kenya. The study was guided by the following theories, AS theory, the Slippery Slope Framework, and the theory of the planned behavior. Methodology: The study employed an explanatory research design. The target population was 221 multinational corporations’ companies and a sample size of 142 respondents. Questionnaires were used to collect primary data and analysis was descriptive statistics include frequency, percentage, and mean while inferential statistics included correlation and multiple regression. Results: The study findings found out most companies in Nairobi, Kenya have transfer pricing policies that are moderately but not adequately in line with domestic tax statutes. Most companies will use transfer pricing as a tool to reduce their tax liabilities. Further, KRA is moderately but not adequately efficient in monitoring and regulating transfer pricing practices in our company. Conclusion: The study results concluded that transfer pricing affects corporation tax compliance Based on the findings, the study recommends there is a need for exchange of information and more international collaborative efforts from a policy, legal, and academic front to address aggressive tax avoidance practices from MNCs. Therefore, future studies can be conducted on the impact of Dispute resolution mechanism on corporation tax performance.

Slippery Slopes and Russian Roulettes: Abjection and Drug User (Self-)Governance in an Online Harm Reduction Forum

Slippery Slopes and Russian Roulettes: Abjection and Drug User (Self-)Governance in an Online Harm Reduction Forum

The Politics of the Slippery Slope

The Politics of the Slippery Slope

“Fool Me Once” Or “Slippery Slope”? A Study of Purchasing Managers' Reaction to Repeated Supplier Sustainability Incidents

ABSTRACTSustainability incidents (e.g., human rights violations, pollution, bribery, etc.) in supply chains continue to manifest globally. Yet, evidence from practice shows such incidents tend to recur within the same supply chains despite stakeholder attention. We investigate the manifestations of supplier sustainability incidents (SSIs) and purchasing managers' reaction to them over time, looking for traces of the slippery slope effect. We also test whether moral disengagement and psychological distance can further impact decisions toward SSIs. Through a series of experiments on both social and environmental SSIs and a follow‐up qualitative study (683 participants in total), we find evidence for the impact of moral disengagement and psychological distance on purchasing managers' reaction to SSIs. However, results for the slippery slope effect were mixed. Our supplementary qualitative study found evidence for the slippery slope effect, as well as moral licensing/cleansing and moral psychology.

Unraveling Logical Fallacies in the debate over Homeopathic Formulations and Severe Liver Injury"

This article explores the logical fallacies intertwined within the discourse surrounding the safety of homeopathic remedies, particularly in light of severe drug-induced liver injury (DILI). It delves into the complexities of the debate, highlighting common fallacies such as ad hominem, straw man, and slippery slope, which often obscure rational discourse. By analyzing arguments and proposing rational solutions, the article aims to promote informed decision-making and critical thinking in homeopathic practice. It emphasizes the importance of recognizing and addressing fallacies to foster transparent discussions and ensure patient safety. Proposed solutions include standardized causality assessment, enhanced pharmacovigilance, quality assurance measures, education, awareness, collaboration, and research. Through these measures, stakeholders can contribute to a nuanced understanding of homeopathy's safety profile and empower individuals to make well-informed healthcare choices grounded in evidence-based medicine. Ultimately, the goal is to uphold patient safety and well-being by navigating the discourse with integrity and a commitment to evidence-based practice.

The possibilities and the slippery slope of evidence-based practice in psychology: Why humanistic and existential psychologists must engage the conversation.

The possibilities and the slippery slope of evidence-based practice in psychology: Why humanistic and existential psychologists must engage the conversation.

Gaining Traction on Social Aspects of E-Biking: A Scoping Review

E-biking is alluring for its various physical, environmental, and financial benefits and the ability to travel farther and faster, and being physically easier to ride than astride an analog (traditional) bicycle. E-bikes are also a source of controversy, especially in places where analog bicycles have been allowed but e-bikes represent a “slippery slope” of technology permissions and/or in situations where the function of e-bikes may increase concerns about safety. Despite an increase in use and conversation about such use, academic literature focused on e-bikes’ social aspects remains sparse. The objective of this work is to describe the existing literature on the characteristics of social aspects of e-biking, particularly in leisure contexts. Analyzing the literature on e-bike social research is crucial considering e-bikes’ rapid rise in popularity and potential effects on access, inclusion, leisure, and sustainability. As e-bike prevalence and use increases worldwide, it is important to understand what topics characterize the existing e-bike literature, and, particularly in leisure-focused studies, to ascertain where studies may lend insight toward aims of inclusive and sustainable access, and related policy considerations. The Integrated Recreation Amenities Framework (IRAF) provides a conceptual framework for considering this question, as it focuses on the topical, spatial, and temporal scales of outdoor leisure-related activities toward sustainable conditions and explicitly provides an opportunity for emergent and case-specific factors to be considered alongside established ones. In this work, we explore the following: (1) How are e-bikes discussed across disciplines? and (2) How are e-bikes discussed in leisure-focused articles? Using a scoping review approach, we analyzed a corpus of 279 peer-reviewed articles relevant to the social aspects of e-bikes. Primarily using the IRAF for conceptual framing, our results center the geographies and contexts, topical areas, interdisciplinarity, and emergent additional social considerations of e-biking in general and in leisure-specific studies. The results enable us to connect interdisciplinary topic discussions and suggest where foundational and connective studies are warranted. This can inform decision making related to e-bike adoption, encourage multi-scalar thinking, and extend interdisciplinary research.

The impact of counselors’ values and religious beliefs on their role identity and perspectives on heritable genome editing: a qualitative interview study

The implementation of the noninvasive prenatal test has shown the importance of involving future care providers in healthcare innovations at an early stage. Therefore, in this explorative study in-depth interviews were performed with Dutch midwife counselors who explicitly identify as religious, to explore how they currently deal with their worldview during counseling for prenatal anomaly screening and regarding their perspectives on heritable genome editing (HGE). HGE is a potentially disruptive technology in which a pregnancy is initiated with a modified embryo or gamete, thus passing on modified genes to a future child and the following generations. Currently, a significant majority of countries prohibit HGE. However, implications for healthcare policy and practice are discussed in an ongoing scientific and societal dialogue. Eleven counselors participated: eight Christians and three Muslims. Two main themes were identified: ‘a search for role identity as a healthcare counselor’ and ‘concerns about the application of HGE’. Our findings showed that both values and underlying worldview-based beliefs influence perspectives on current and emerging reproductive techniques. Healthcare counselors search for ways to harmonize their professional role with contrasting values based on worldview-based beliefs. Moreover, for HGE, counselors fear ‘slippery slopes’ regarding the boundaries between treatment and enhancement, the severity assessment of certain conditions, and society’s appreciation for the quality of life of people with disabilities. Regarding future implementation, counselors’ medical education might benefit from a focus not only on qualification (acquiring knowledge) but also on balancing between socialization (e.g., adhering the norm of nondirective counseling) and subjectification (being a ‘self’ in relation to everything learned). In the global call for broad public and stakeholder engagement to explore the acceptability of HGE, the influence of both values and beliefs should be deliberated.

The Power of Tax Authority and Tax Compliance: Does Tax Literacy Matter?

Purpose: Our research aims to prove the influence of tax authority power (coercive and legitimate), tax morality, perception of fairness, and religiosity on tax compliance. Also, we test the moderating effect of tax literacy on the influence of the relationship between perceived fairness and coercive power on tax compliance. Methods: This research used 199 respondents determined by convenience sampling, snowball sampling technique. Data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares based Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Result: We report that legitimacy power, tax morale, and religiosity positively influence tax compliance. On the other hand, coercive power and perceived fairness do not influence tax compliance. Moreover, our study reports that tax literacy has a role in reducing the influence of perceived fairness on tax compliance. Novelty: Our study contributes to expanding literature in two important ways. First, we re-examined the influence of the power of tax authority on tax compliance of university employees who experienced a change in university status from a public university to a state university with legal entity status (PTN-BH)-causing a change in tax rates. Second, we expand the slippery slope framework by proving the role of tax literacy in increasing the influence of the power of tax authority on tax compliance.

L’innovation thérapeutique ne saurait tenir lieu de progrès médical. Plaidoyer contre l’abus de la dénomination de médicament innovant

Our disenchanted society seems to have mourned the notion of progress which had aroused the enthusiasm of generations of researchers and doctors over the last century. Contested in the name of industrial society misdeeds, progress is a word that is going out of fashion and giving way to the more extensive notion of “innovation”. Being a key word in communication and marketing vocabulary, innovation has spread beyond the world of consumption and advertising into the public space and political discourse. Innovating has become the new categorical imperative of our time. The field of well-being and health is no exception. The fact is the word innovation is used more and more in medical conferences. This seductive power can lead to abuse doctors and especially patients who will claim a “right to try”, even if it means underestimating the safety issue of respecting methodological requirements. Faced with this slippery slope, this article aims to remind us that what is important for patients is not the novelty but the effectiveness of the products administered to them. If we want to maintain a watertight division between “health product” and “commercial product”, between the “patient” and the “customer”, we must remember the essential scientific significance and the inestimable ethical value of the notion of medical progress.

Formal authorship in the wake of uncertain futures: the narrative of publish or perish in the humanities

Abstract Publish or Perish has a variety of meanings. Most often, the term is understood as a reference to the material requirements of publishing relentlessly in order to make or advance a career in contemporary academia. In this article, I show that Publish or Perish is also a cultural narrative that appears to provide a formal rationalistic solution to the uncertainty of early career scholars. Funds are scarce, competition is fierce, the individual future within academia is unknown—the Publish or Perish narrative claims that if you just keep publishing, you can overcome these obstacles. This narrative is perpetuated among aspiring scholars and creates peer pressure where it exerts its power to a certain extent regardless of material requirements, especially in the humanities. Based on extensive discussion of literature and data from a qualitative study with humanities scholars in Germany and the UK, employing a cultural sociological approach, I trace the meaning of Publish or Perish as this narrative. I look at how it is passed on among early career scholars, and how senior scholars respond to it in situations of mentorship and supervision. This perspective emphasizes the importance of everyday situations that trigger anxiety, as well as the importance of mentorship as a crucial means of reducing this anxiety. This is pertinent to reforms of evaluation practices that tend to abstract from such mundane situations. The notion of the slippery slope (Hartmut Rosa) helps comprehend this anxiety.

Determinants of enforced and voluntary tax compliance: Adopting slippery slope framework

Research aims: This research aims to scrutinize the influence of factors impacting voluntary tax compliance and enforced tax compliance using the variables of power of authorities and trust in authorities.Design/Methodology/Approach: This study employed a research sample of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) taxpayers in the Special Region of Yogyakarta represented by business school students, utilizing a questionnaire survey via Google Form with a purposive sampling method. The total number of questionnaires distributed was 60 questionnaires, with 59 questionnaires that could be processed. Data analysis was then carried out using the partial least squares (PLS) approach.Research findings: The results of this study demonstrated that using the slippery slope framework theory, trust in authorities was positively associated with voluntary tax compliance, while the power of authorities was negatively associated with voluntary tax compliance. Trust in authorities, however, did not have any impact on enforced tax compliance. Additionally, the power of authorities exerted a positive effect on voluntary tax compliance.Theoretical contribution/Originality: This study provides an understanding of the factors influencing tax compliance by referring to the slippery slope framework theory. Apart from that, this research field is still relatively underexplored in Indonesia.Practitioner/Policy implication: This study can be used to determine the factors driving and inhibiting MSMEs' taxpayer compliance so that it can be used as input and consideration to improve services related to taxpayer compliance further.Research limitation/Implication: This study can serve as a valuable resource for future research and the generation of new ideas. Also, it can be utilized as a reference in educational materials pertaining to aspects that promote taxpayer compliance.