Duck's phase model Flashcards
What is Duck’s phase model?
A model of relationship breakdown which says that breakdown is not based upon a one-off event but is a process which takes time and many different phases.
What are the four phases in Duck’s phase model?
Intra-psychic
Dyadic
Social
Grave dressing.
What is the intra-psychic phase?
Cognitive processes occurring within the individual.
Give some examples of processes in the intra-psychic phase.
-The dissatisfied partner worries about the reasons for his or her dissatisfaction. -The partner mulls over thoughts privately and may share them with a trusted friend.
-They weigh up the pros and cons and evaluate these against alternatives.
What is the dyadic phase?
The focus is on interpersonal processes between the two partners.
Outline features of the dyadic phase.
-There is a series of conversations in which the relationship is discussed and dissatisfactions are aired.
What is the social phase?
The focus is now on wider processes involving the couples social networks
Features of the social phase.
Partners will seek support and mutual friends are expected to choose a side. Gossip is traded. This is usually the point of no return.
What is the grave-dressing phase?
The focus of this phase is now on the aftermath
Features of the grave dressing phase.
Once the relationship is dead, the time comes to bury it
-a favourable story is released about the breakdown for public consumption.
-The traits once found endearing in the relationship are now reinterpreted in a negative fashion
- it is now time to get a new life.
Give a strength of Duck’s phase model (real world application)
It suggests ways in which a relationship breakdown can be reversed. For example, Duck says that people in the Intra-psychic phase could be encouraged to focus their worrying on the positive aspects of their partner or if they are in the dyadic phase they could try to improve their social communication skills.
These insights could be beneficial to relationship counselling to help people through difficult times.
Give a limitation of Duck’s phase model (culture).
Counterpoint- Culture.
The model is based on research into relationships in individualist cultures, especially in the US. According to Moghaddam, relationships in individualist cultures are generally voluntary and frequently come to an end (e,g divorce) however in collectivist cultures these breakdowns are less common and are likely to involve the wider family. The conception of a romantic relations differs between cultures. This means the models application cannot be generalised to all cultures.
Give a limitation of Duck’s phase model. (an incomplete model)
The original model is an incomplete exploration of breakdown. Duck added a fifth phase, the resurrection phase. Ex-partners apply to their future relationships the experiences gained from the old one. The researchers also argue that progression from one phase to the next is not inevitable as it is possible to return to an earlier point in any phase. Therefore the original model does not account for the complexity of breakdown and its dynamic nature.
Give a limitation of Duck’s phase model. (early phases less understood)
It does not explain the early phases of breakdown. This is because much of the research is retrospective. Participants in research studies generally report their experiences some time after the relationship has ended so what they report may not be accurate or relatable. Early phases would have been longer ago so recall may be distorted. This means that the model may not explain the early part of breakdown as well as it does with the later phases.
