3.2 - Relationships (set C - Ducks Model Of Relationship Breakdown + Virtual Relationships)✅

Question 1

Outline the 4 phases of the ducks phase model of relationship?

Answer 1

• intro-psychic
• dyadic
• social
• grave dressing phases

Question 2

Briefly outline the idea of ducks phase model of relationship breakdown?

Answer 2

Idea the ending of a relationship isn’t a one-off event but a process with different specific phases

• each phase marker by either one or both partners reaching a ‘threshold’ where the perception of the relationship changes

Question 3

Outline what happens during stage one - intra-psychic phase?

Answer 3

Cognitive processing - try to work out what is making you dissatisfied (leads to blaming their partners flaws in a negative way)

• privately consult their thoughts and weigh up the pros and cons
• start to plan for the future

Question 4

Outline what happens during stage 2 - dyadic phase?

Answer 4

Interpersonal processing between 2 partners - dissatisfactions brought out with confrontations and discussions

• 2 outcomes - try to salvage and repair the relationship or agree to break up

if rescue attempts fails, threshold met

Question 5

Outline what happens during stage 3 - social phase?

Answer 5

Wider processing involving the couples social network - becomes public knowledge

• as individuals you might expect mutual friends to pick sides (some friends will provide reassurance others may be more judgmental forcing blame)
• some may reveal previous information kept secret (eg friends knew you girlfriend cheated) - considered point of no return

Question 6

Outline what happens during stage 4 - grave dressing phase?

Answer 6

Main focus is the aftermath of the breakup

• ex partners will spin a story about the breakout suitable to tell in public
• your going to make yourself look in the best possible light to retain social credit to allow for further dating
• might involve you diminishing the other party - downplaying traits into negative connotations

Question 7

Explain the fifth stage of ducks model which was added later [AO3]?

Answer 7

• original model was modified due to criticisms for it being incomplete
• ex-partners

Question 8

Evaluate the strengths of ducks model of relationship breakdown?

Answer 8

• looks like it explains how people breakup and the processes involved, does not tell us why people break up (which is positive as it would make it too subjective) - face validity

-

Question 9

Evaluate the weaknesses of ducks model of relationship breakdown?

Answer 9

• may not apply to all situations - extreme cases like abuse could mean you don’t go through any phases another example is if a partner cheats which can end the relationship straight away (phases are not worked through)
• model largely built on retrospective, self-report evidence
• founded on western culture - wont be applicable to all countries - eg permanent relationships

Question 10

Outline research support for ducks model of breakdown?

Answer 10

Study where college students who had recently split from partners reported their breakdown did follow the stages outlined by Duck

• final stage for them was a period of growth that enabled them to move on from the relationship (explains why 5th stage was added)

Question 11

Outline brief research support for dyadic processes for ducks model of relationship breakdown?

Answer 11

• research found people tend to go for marriage guidance counselling after initial dissatisfaction has been expressed - usually try to save relationship
• may not be applicable to every relationship - ST relationships are unlikely to go through this as LT relationships will be more focused on trying to save the relationship due more too loose

Question 12

Outline and explain real life application of the model?

Answer 12

• allows identification of various stages - as well as suggesting ways to reverse the stages (useful for marriage counselling)
• different repair strategies are more useful at different stages of relationships
• grave dressing enables a positive view - time for reflection for leaning and changing

Question 13

Virtual relationships

Question 14

What are virtual relationships?

Answer 14

Relationships we form online

• will lack physical cues and a level of intimacy

Question 15

What is self-disclosure?

Answer 15

Gradual process where you release personal information about yourself - more revealed as the romantic relationship develops

• social media means people develop and maintain romantic relationships without ever meeting in person
• sharing really personal information too early can put people off in person but does not seem to be the case online

Question 16

Explain the effect of self disclosure and self-presentation regarding social media?

Answer 16

• some people will be ‘hyper-honest’ - in their self disclosure worth online relationships develop very quickly because self-disclosure happens earlier - thus relationship becomes more intense and more intimate
• can manipulate images - makes it easier to manipulate self-disclosure promoting intimacy
• reason some people become ‘hyper-honest’ online is due to anonymity which allows them to feel less accountable for your behaviour
• hyper-dishonest - pretending to be someone your not

Question 17

Outline conclusions from studies into virtual relationships?

Answer 17

• less effective as we miss cues we would receive in person (eg non-verbal cues like appearance)
• de-individualisation - reduces individuals sense of individual identity - leading to hype-honesty

Question 18

Outline research support for virtual relationships?

Answer 18

• found American participants reported that greater disclosure in virtual relationships was associated with more trust while Korean participants reported this led to less trust
• self disclosure was not a factor for Japanese participants
• people tend to ask questions which were direct and intimate - with FTF relationships focus would be on small talk - suggests we virtually self-disclose in an exaggeratedly positive light which aids relationship formation

Question 19

Finnish notes

Question 20

What how absence of gating works online?

Answer 20

Virtually you can be whoever you want to be, can upload whatever photos you want to, creating a persona which is not you

• perception lasts as long as you don’t meet

Question 21

What is a ‘gate’ - what are features?

Answer 21

A feature or obstacle that could interfere with the development of a relationship

• gates can be physical - eg disfigurement. Speech impediment or personality trait (eg shy)

two people could be compatible and attracted to one another - but a gate prevents this from happening

FTF relationships display more ‘gates’ than virtual relationships

Question 22

Outline the role of absence of gating in relationship formation?

Answer 22

Allows relationships to develop and self-disclosure become more frequent and deeper which may not necessarily occur with FTF relationships

• as relationship develops things like physical attraction may become less important - this allows people who are less attractive or socially inept to be able to express their true self, building meaningful relationship

Question 23

Outline support for the role of virtual services and ‘gated’ individuals?

Answer 23

Online social networks empowered ‘gated’ individuals to present the identities they hoped to establish but were unable to do so in FTF situations

• enabled individuals to present a more socially desirable persona

Question 24

Outline brief research support for absence of gating?

Answer 24

Study looked at virtual conversations used by lonely and socially anxious people

• people were able to express their ‘true selfs’ more than in FTF situations
• of the romantic relationships they formed online - 70% survived more than 2 years
• higher proportion than real world formations

Question 25

What are the strengths of absence of gating in relationships?

Answer 25

• non verbal communication is not absent from virtual relationships - cues are just different (emojis can substitute for facial expressions and importance of timing of response)
• benefits of online relationships for people who may not be able to seek out company in real life due to anxiety, disfigurements and other problems

Question 26

What are the weaknesses of absence of gating in relationships?

Answer 26

• cultural differences mediate effects of social media on relationships
• effects of more open self-disclosure (eg LT effects) relationships that begin online are more durable than other relationships

Question 27

Paradoxical relationships

Question 28

What is a parasocial relationship?

Answer 28

A relationship that resembles a relationship but is one-sided - person who thinks they are in the relationship will invest emotional energy and time to the relationship - the other person is completely unaware of the persons existence

often with a celebrity

Question 29

Explain the 3 levels of a parasocial relationship?

Answer 29

Entertainment-social (ES) - celebrity is a source of gossip/interaction (normal)

Intense-persona (IP) - intensive compulsive feelings towards celebrity - being pre-occupied by this person, may struggle to maintain other relationships (can be common for teenagers but grow out)

Borderline-pathological (BP) - uncontrollable behaviours/fantasies - can lead to stalking to try and get into celebrities life (believe feelings will be reciprocated if they met)

Question 30

How do we calculate what level someone would be on the parasocial stages?

Answer 30

Measured by using the CAS (celebrity attitude scale)

• questionnaire with questions that you can SA,A,D,SD with

Question 31

Outline findings from the fixated threat assessment centre?

Answer 31

Deals with stalking - looked at 275 stalkers of the royal family and found:

• 83% had some form of psychosis (suggesting level 3 is a form of mental illness)
• 18% delusions of identity (though they were related)
• 12% infatuated

findings from studies in the US on other celebrities supported this