Abstract This paper sets out to unpack the pragmatic structure of refusal—its illocutionary nature, success conditions, and normative effects. I argue that our ordinary concept refusal captures a whole family illocutions, comprising acts such as rejecting, declining, like, which share property being ‘negative second-turn illocutions’. Only proper refusals (i.e. negative replies permission reque...

A field experiment tested four separate procedures for influencing compliance to the second of two requests. Two factors--size of initial request and timing of the second request--were included in a 2 X 2 factorial design. Subjects were induced either to comply with a small initial request or to refuse a large initial request. They then received a moderate request either immediately (no delay) ...

PURPOSE Conduct problems and peer effects are among the strongest risk factors for adolescent substance use and problem use. However, it is unclear to what extent the effects of conduct problems and peer behavior interact, and whether adolescents' capacity to refuse the offer of substances may moderate such links. This study was conducted to examine relationships between conduct problems, close...

OBJECTIVE To gain insight into the standards of rationality that physicians use when evaluating patients' treatment refusals. DESIGN OF THE STUDY Qualitative design with in depth interviews. PARTICIPANTS The study sample included 30 patients with cancer and 16 physicians (oncologists and general practitioners). All patients had refused a recommended oncological treatment. RESULTS Patients...

Pretrial detainees have a constitutionally protected right to refuse medical treatment in most circumstances; however, individuals found incompetent to stand trial (IST) due to a mental disorder can be treated involuntarily by clinicians who adhere to careful medical and legal procedures. The process of involuntary treatment of IST pretrial detainees begins with categorization into particular l...

BACKGROUND Parental noncompliance with the American Academy of Pediatrics and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention immunization schedule is an increasing public health concern. We examined the frequency of requests for vaccine delays and refusals and the impact on US pediatricians' behavior. METHODS Using national American Academy of Pediatrics Periodic Surveys from 2006 and 2013, we de...

Despite being recognized as one of the most successful public health measures, vaccination is perceived as unsafe and unnecessary by a growing number of parents. Anti-vaccination movements have been implicated in lowered vaccine acceptance rates and in the increase in vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks and epidemics. In this review, we will look at determinants of parental decision-making ab...