breakdown of relationship Flashcards
Who created the phase model of relationship breakdown and what model is it
Duck
1982 phase model
What are the 4 phases
Intrapsychic phase
Dyadic phase
Social phase
Grave Dressing phase
intra-psychic phase
a partner thinks about his/her dissatisfaction with the relationship but this is not disclosed to others/partner
This stage focuses on a person’s internal thought process that occurs before confronting the partner.
dyadic phase
Occurs when a person confronts their partner and voices their dissatisfaction.
both partners are aware of the problem – there is confrontation, discussion.
social phase
partners disclose their problems to others – friends, family become aware of the breakdown of the relationship
According to Duck, once the conflict reaches this stage, it is more difficult for a couple to mend their relationship: friends and family will take sides, intervene in the couple’s relationship and offer advice, which makes reconciliation much more problematic
grave-dressing phase
each partner comes to terms with the breakdown and rationalises it by
constructing a narrative of events.
- strive to construct a representation of the failed relationships that doesn’t paint their contribution in unfavourable terms
Signifying the closure of the previous relationship and readiness to start a new one.
AO3:
lim: resurrection
lim: retrospective
lim: ethical issues
lim: individual diffs
str: application
lim: resurrection
Fails to acknowledge possibility of personal growth
Duck acknowleged that his 1982 model failed to reflect the possibility of relational growth following breakdown
By introducing a new model with the final phase ‘resurrection process’, Duck stressed that for many people this is an opportunity to move beyond the distress assoc w the ending of a relationships and instead engage in the process of personal growth
There is support for the existence of the new phase. Tashiro and Frazier surveyed 92 undergrads who had recently broke up w partner. Respondents typically reported that they had not only experienced emotional distress but also personal growth, as predicted by the updated model.
This shows that the 1982 model is incomplete and oversimplified and cannot fully explain the phases of relationship breakdown so should be used w caution
lim: retrospective
Most of the research examining relationship breakdown is based on retrospective data, using questionnaires or interviews to ask participants about the break-up some time after it happened.
People’s memories of the event may not be accurate, and may also be coloured by their current situation, which means that their answers are not reliable.
This means Duck’s phase model, even though it seems to be supported by research, does not necessarily describe how break-up happens in real life, weakening the model’s ability to present an accurate picture of relationship breakdown.
lim: ethical issues
There are also significant ethical issues involved in investigating relationship breakdown, such as privacy, especially if the research involves victims of domestic abuse.
There are also the ethical issues of confidentiality and protection from psychological harm, as participants may experience distress in the process of the research.
This makes the topic particularly difficult to investigate, as researchers may find it tricky to conduct a study where the benefits of research outweigh a possible negative impact on participants.
lim: individual diffs
The social phase is greatly affected by individual differences, especially in relation to age.
Dickson (1995) found that while friends and relatives tend to see teenagers’ break-ups as less serious and wouldn’t put much effort into reconciling partners, the ending of relationships by older couples is seen as more distressing and those close to the couple put more effort into bringing them back together.
This shows that Duck’s model won’t necessarily apply to all couples, and therefore suggests that the model is unable to accurately predict breakdown in different types of relationship.
str: application
However, Duck’s model has useful applications, especially in relation to couples’ counselling.
Couples may be advised to use different strategies depending on the phase they are currently in.
For example, for a person in the intra-psychic phase it may be more useful to shift their attention to the positive aspects of their partner’s personality, while for a couple in the dyadic phase communication about dissatisfaction and ways to balance relationships is crucial.
This shows that Duck’s model of relationship breakdown can be used successfully to help couples contemplating break-up to improve their relationships and stay together.
