Relationships- Duck’s Phase Model If Breakdown (Theories Of Romantic RS)

Question 1

According to Duck once dissertation occurs …

Answer 1

Partners work through a number of phases

Question 2

Reasons why RS breakdown

Answer 2

Marriages in which partners were very young

Early parenthood

Being in a lower socioeconomic group

Poor education

Partners are of different race / religion

A greater number of sexual partners before marriage.

Jealousy

People have a change of attitudes / beliefs).

Relationship becomes routine and boring - lack of stimulation

Lack of sexual satisfaction

Lack of social skills - poor at conversation, may seem uninterested.

Extra marital affairs - may be a direct reaction to the other reasons discussed.

Question 3

Duck on Breakdown:

Answer 3

suggests a range of reasons for relationship breakdown:

Pre-exisiting Doom: Individuals are incompatible from the start

Mechanical Failure: Compatible people are no longer able to function as a couple

Sudden Death: Traumatic event, i.e. cheating or a big argument.

Question 4

Duck’s Phase model:

Answer 4

A breakup isn’t a sudden one off event, a relationship ends as a result of progressing through a number of distinct phases/stages.

Question 5

4 stages of Ducks Phase Model

Answer 5

1. Intra-psychic -personal brooding
2. Dyadic - discussion with partner
3. Social - issues made public
4. Grave-Dressing - saving face

Question 6

Intra-psychic phase:

Answer 6

one or both partners consider feelings about problems in their relationship or the others behaviour, and plans to confront partner, save the relationship or alternatives to it are considered. May confide to friends.

Question 7

Dyadic phase:

Answer 7

partners confront each other to discuss their relationship issues and may include conversations relating to inequity, intimacy and costs of breakup.

Question 8

Social phase:

Answer 8

partners announce they are splitting to social network, engage in activities aimed at getting over the relationship breakdown and practical aspects are negotiated. Social network members pick sides and provide support

Question 9

Grave-dressing phase:

Answer 9

partners create a narrative of how the break-up happened so they can communicate this is a way that saves face /self esteem, often by blaming their partner or circumstances outside their control. They may question their decision and consider how the break-up has impacted their social network.

Question 10

Rollie and Duck
Additional phase (2006)

Answer 10

Resurrection phase

Each partner prepares themselves for new relationships by redefining themselves and building on past mistakes and experiences

Question 11

Rollie and Duck’s Model of breakdown: Strengths

Answer 11

• The theory has face validity as it is an account of relationship breakdown that we can relate to our own and/or others’ experiences.
• The view of dissolution as a process, rather than an event, is widely accepted. However, the theory applies mainly to romantic relationships, because these are exclusive in a way that friendships generally are not.

Question 12

Rollie and Duck’s Model of breakdown: Criticisms

Answer 12

• As with all stage theories, Rollie and Duck’s six phases do not apply in every case of relationship breakdown; nor do they always occur in the order described.
• The model does not take into account why dissatisfaction occurred in the first place; its starting point is where dissatisfaction has already set in. Therefore, it fails to provide a complete picture of dissolution.

Question 13

Tashiro and Frazier 2003) Personal Growth after a break up

Answer 13

Using a self report survey method on 96 undergraduate students recalled their experience of a break up. Findings indicated after a breakdown participants experienced both emotional distress and growth, such as improving agreeableness.
This suggests relationship breakdowns are staged with the gravedressing stage allowing recovery.

However:
This study lacks population validity, containing only undergraduates it may not be generalisable to most other relationships Also as retrospective, may lack validity to the reconstructive nature of memory.

Question 14

Research by LeFebrve (2012)

Answer 14

demonstrates that aspects of ducks breakdown model applies to virtual communication. Self reporting on a previous break up (N=208) participants showed social phase activities such as changing facebook status to “its complicated” and taking down tagged photographs, Also grave dressing and resurrection phases such as emphasising fun in posting photographs demonstrating “moving on” such as nights out.