Duck’s Phase Model Of Relationship Breakdown Flashcards
Introduction
Relationship breakdown or termination occurs when one or both people in the relationship feel that it is not working, and therefore wish the relationship to end.
Duck’s phase model of relationship breakdown (1982)
The process of breakdown might begin when one partner becomes increasingly dissatisfied with the way the relationship has been conducted. They might think, “I cannot stand this anymore.”
Phases of Duck’s phase model of relationship breakdown
1) Intrapsychic phase
2) Dyadic phase
3) Sociall phase
4) Grave dressing Phase
Intrapsychic phase
This is characterized by the dissatisfied person privately thinking about their relationship and brooding about the problems they have identified. The dissatisfied partner focuses on their partner’s faults and the fact that they are “under-benefitting” and they will re-evaluate their relationship. They might feel very depressed and then withdraw from social interactions with their partner and others. They do not say anything to their partner at this stage, but they might feel that they are better off leaving the relationship.
Dyadic Phase
This involves a private confrontation/discussion whereby partners communicate with each other about their problems or the perceived inequities. They might think carefully about investments they have in the relationships e.g. house, children, joint possessions etc. There could be reconciliation if the other partner accepts the validity of the dissatisfied partner’s views and promises to change their behaviour or make agreements to sort out issues. Marital therapy might be useful at this point if the process becomes difficult. The person might believe that, “I would be justified in withdrawing from the relationship” and the breakdown process might continue
Social phase
If there is a break up, it is made public to friends and family which means that people become informed and the problem is harder to deny or ignore. Advice and support are given from people outside the relationship and alliances are made. This can involve criticizing former partners e.g. “I never really liked him anyway” and scape-goating, “It was all her fault.” Younger adults might experience breakdown very frequently in this period of their life, as they are striving to meet their ideal partner and are testing the market. Older couples experience breakdown less frequently, and some might be resigned to not finding a new partner in the future if the relationship breaks down.
Grave dressing phase
As the relationship dies and breaks down, there is the need to mourn and justify our actions. We need to create an account of what the relationship was like and why it broke down. Ex partners begin their post relationship lives and begin to publicise accounts of how the relationship broke down, making sure their social credit remains high. Stories might be told about betrayal, or how they both struggled to make it work and different versions of the relationship are given to different people. Partners might reinterpret their point of view of their ex partners e.g. “they were rebellious” become “they were irresponsible.”
Advantages of Duck’s model of relationship breakdown
This model of breakdown was devised in 1982 therefore it is an old model and may lack temporal validity. However, improvements have been made to the model as time has passed. Duck teamed up with a psychologist called Rollie in 2006 and introduced a fifth phase to this model called, “The Resurrection stage. This is where the person engages in personal growth and gets prepared for new romantic relationships that they can start. The psychologist Frazier (2003) studied 92 undergraduates who had just broken up with their partner, and it was found that they did experience emotional distress but there was evidence of personal growth which links to the fifth stage of the new model (resurrection) – therefore this model of breakdown is a good model as it includes how a person can ‘get over’ their relationship and prepare for a new one. Thus it is not all ‘gloom and doom’.
Research support for Duck model comes from the Social exchange theory by Kelley.” Kelley would support Duck’s model and would state that if a relationship has high costs and minimal rewards then the relationship is not worth continuing, but instead would probably breakdown and end. Therefore Duck’s model of breakdown can be analysed from the perspective of rewards and costs which links to the social exchange theory
Disadvantages of Duck’s Phase model of relationship breakdown
Akert (1998) has criticized the model proposed by Duck. Akert found that the role that people had in deciding if the relationship should breakdown, was the most important prediction of the breakdown experience. Akert found that those who did not initiate the end of the relationship were the most miserable, lonely, depressed and angry in the weeks after the relationship ended. Those who initiate the break down were the least stressed and least upset, but did feel guilty. Duck’s model does not take into consideration the role that people played in the relationship breakdown, and according to Akert, this is important.
Duck’s model ignores gender differences that exist when analysing the breakdown of relationships. Kassin (1996) found research evidence to suggest that females emphasise unhappiness, lack of emotional support and incompatibility as reasons for relationship breakdown, whereas males state lack of sex/fun. Females often wish to stay friends with an ex-partner, but males would rather have a clean break and not stay friends. Duck’s model needs to acknowledge that there are gender differences that must be considered when looking at his breakdown phase model
There are many ethical issues that need to be considered when examining the model proposed by Duck. Relationship breakdown is a socially sensitive topic and there are many ethical issues that might arise from research. For example, psychological harm might be an issue when people are recalling why their relationship broke down and the impact of this. Invasion of privacy is also an issue that Duck would have to address when investigating relationship breakdown, as he must be careful not to ask too many probing questions that could cause upset. All results gained from participants should ensure confidentiality and anonymity in order to protect participants
The model proposed by Duck could be viewed as reductionist and not very accurate. It is reducing the complex phenomenon of relationship breakdown into 4 simple stages that must follow a specific order. In the real world it would seem unlikely that relationship breakdown can be compartmentalized or reduced into 4 basic stages. Relationship breakdown is very unpredictable, and it could be the case that breakdown does not happen in this chronological order. Some couples break up, make up, break up etc.…
