The actual practice of compliance seeking

We specify 2 independent theoretical frameworks in which it is a practical necessity to engage in compliance seeking incrementally and interactively i n order to establish the social meanings of solicitation and of response. O ne theoretical framework ties social meaning to the interactional positioni ng of solicitation and response; the second framework ties social meaning t o the way solicitation and response each are framed relative to shared cult ural or other premises about persuadables and about the rights and obligati ons of each party. Accordingly, the chief communication mechanism that prom otes compliance must be a give-and-take process in which each party can inf luence, and accommodate, the other's understanding of what solicitation and response mean. We analyze 2 naturally occurring compliance-seeking episode s and find support for our initial theorizing and discuss consequences for theory.