Psychology - Relationships - Duck's phase model of relationship breakdown

Question 1

When does relationship breakdown occur?

Answer 1

When one or both people in the relationship feel that it is not working and wish to end the relationships

Question 2

When did Duck introduce the phase model of relationship breakdown?

Answer 2

1982

Question 3

How does the process of breakdown begin according to Duck (1982)?

Answer 3

When one partner becomes increasingly dissatisfied with the way the relationship has conducted

Question 4

What are the 4 phases of relationship breakdown according tho Duck (1982)?

Answer 4

Intrapsychic phase, Dyadic phase, Social phase and Grave dressing phase

Question 5

Intrapsychic phase

Answer 5

The dissatisfied person privately thinks about the relationships issues and focuses on the partners faults and the fact that they are ‘under benefitting’ leading to them re-evaluating the relationship.

Question 6

How may the person initiating the break up feel in the intrapsychic phase?

Answer 6

They may feel very depressed and withdraw from social interactions with their partners. They won’t say anything yet but feel they are better off leaving the relationship.

Question 7

Dyadic phase

Answer 7

A private discussion whereby partners communicate with each other about their problems or perceived inequities and think carefully about investments they have in the relationship

Question 8

What may cause a reconciliation during the Dyadic phase?

Answer 8

If the other partner accepts the validity of the dissatisfied partners views and promises to change their behaviour or make agreements to sort out issues. Marital therapy may help.

Question 9

Social phase

Answer 9

It is made public to friends and family so people become informed and the problem is harder to ignore. Advice and support are given from people outside the relationship and alliances are made, former partners could be criticised and scapegoated.

Question 10

What differences are there between younger adults and older couples (social phase)?

Answer 10

Younger adults may experience breakdown frequently in this period as they are testing the market to find an ideal partner. Older couples experience it less frequently and may not want to find a new partner.

Question 11

Grave-dressing phase

Answer 11

There is a need to mourn and justify our actions, an account of what the relationship was like and why it broke down is created. Ex partners post and publicise their accounts of the breakdown and they new lives, keeping their social credit.

Question 12

What are the strengths of Ducks model of relationship breakdown?

Answer 12

• Temporal improvements made by Rollie (2006) and Frazier (2003) - Research support from social exchange theory by Kelley

Question 13

What are the weaknesses of Ducks model of relationship breakdown?

Answer 13

• Akert (1998) criticised the model - Ignores gender differences, Kassin (1996) - Ethical issues - reductionist

Question 14

What improvements have been made to Duck’s model, by Rollie (2006)?

Answer 14

Introduced a fifth stage called the resurrection stage.

Question 15

Rollie (2006), The Resurrection stage

Answer 15

Where the person engages in personal growth and gets prepared for new romantic relationships that they can start

Question 16

What did Frazier (2003) do to improve Ducks model?

Answer 16

Studied 92 undergraduate students who had just broken up with their partner and found they experienced both emotional distress and personal growth (links to resurrection)

Question 17

What research supported Rollie’s (2006) fifth phase of Ducks model?

Answer 17

Frazier (2003)

Question 18

How did Rollie (2006) and Frazier (2003) improve Ducks model through finding about the resurrection phase?

Answer 18

It now includes how a person can get over their relationship and prepare for a new one so it is not all gloomy.

Question 19

How does social exchange theory by Kelley provide research support for Ducks model?

Answer 19

It states that if a relationship has high costs and minimal rewards then the relationship is not worth continuing and a breakdown would occur. It can be analysed from the same perspective as the social exchange theory.

Question 20

Why did Akert (1998) criticise Ducks model?

Answer 20

The role people had in deciding the fate of the relationship was the most important prediction in the breakdown experience.

Question 21

What did Akert (1998) find about people who did not initiate the end of the relationship?

Answer 21

They were most miserable, lonely, depressed and angry in weeks after the relationship ended.

Question 22

What did Akert (1998) find about people who initiated the end of the relationship?

Answer 22

They were least stressed and least upset but felt guilty

Question 23

What does Akert state Duck’s model doesn’t consider?

Answer 23

Ducks model does not consider the role that people played in the relationship breakdown

Question 24

How does Kassin (1996) believe gender differences show up in Ducks work?

Answer 24

Kassin found research evidence to suggest females emphasise unhappiness, lack of emotional support and incompatibility as reasons for relationship breakdown but males state a lack of sex/fun. Females wish to stay friends but males don’t.

Question 25

What are the ethical issues with the model proposed by Duck?

Answer 25

It’s a socially sensitive topic so psychological harm may be an issue when people recall their past relationships and invasion of privacy may be an issue.

Question 26

How could Duck’s model avoid ethical issues?

Answer 26

He should not ask too many probing questions that could cause upset and all results should ensure confidentiality and anonymity for participants.

Question 27

How can Ducks model be seen as reductionist?

Answer 27

Reduces the complex phenomenon of relationship breakdown into 4 parts and in the real world or would be more unpredictable.