Relationships : Ducks Phase Model Flashcards
Outline Ducks Phase Model.
Ducks phase model of relationships describes how relationships end through a series of discrete stages/phases. The model suggest there are four phases through which a relationship can either repair or breakup.
1. Intrapsychic phase.
- An individual considers the pros and cons of their current relationship and considers whether they might be better off out of it.
- The individual is likely to think “I can’t stand it anymore” either privately or mention it to a close friend.
- A possible outcome is the relationship ending at this stage, without ever discussing their dissatisfaction with their partner, then they will move onto the dyadic phase.
2. Dyadic Phase.
- An individual confronts their partner and discusses with them their feelings of dissatisfaction.
- Two possible outcomes: a renewed desire to end the relationship or to fix it ;however, if the relationship is not repaired, the next phase begins.
3. Social Phase.
- The discontentment spills over to friends and family, as the distress experienced by one or both partners becomes public.
- The threshold for entering this phase is the dissatisfied partners being serious about ending the relationship.
- Typically the outcome at this stage is to end the relationship, as publicly airing grievances make it harder for partners to fix their relationship.
4. Grave-dressing Phase.
- Occurs at the end of the relationship, when partners construct an account of their failed relationship which depicts them in a positive light.
- Part of this account is public. Partners try to retain ‘social credit’ by blaming factors besides themselves for the relationships dissolution.
- Part of this account is private, this may involve revising previously held positive assessments of their partner.
What methodological issues are there supporting research for Ducks Phase model of relationship breakdown?
Most of the research relating to Duck’s model is retrospective. This entails researchers using selfreport measures to investigate the experiences of the breakdown process sometime after the
relationship has ended. One problem with this is self-report measures are vulnerable to social desirability bias. This means people may give accounts of their relationship breakdown that makes them look good, rather than accurate accounts. This undermines the validity of the supporting data for Duck’s phase model. A further issue is that retrospective self-reporting is especially problematic as people may not be able to accurately recall details about the relationship breakdown. This issue is especially applicable to the very early stages of the breakdown (e.g., intrapsychic), as since these are more distant, they are more likely to be inaccurately recalled.
What is a strength of Ducks phase model of relationship breakdowns?
It has real-life applications, as it can be used to inform people in romantic relationships how to respond to difficulties in their relationships. For example, Duck recommends that during the intra-psychic phase, partners can be encouraged to focus their private thoughts on the positive aspects of their partner, rather than ruminating only on the negative. During the dyadic phase, Duck suggests that improving the quality of communication may help partners to effectively address the dissatisfaction that threatens the relationship. By offering insight into the stages of relationship breakdown, Duck’s model can help suggest ways of reversing it. This means the model has value beyond merely describing how romantic relationships end, as it can help couples experiencing relationship difficulties avoid breakdowns
What is a limitation of Ducks phase model of relationship breakdown>
It might be affected by cultural bias. The model is based on relationships from individualist cultures, where ending the relationships is a voluntary choice, and separation and divorce are easily obtainable and do not carry stigma. However, this may not be the case in collectivist cultures, where relationships are sometimes arranged by wider family members, and characterised by greater family involvement. This makes the relationship difficult to end, which means that the break-up process will not follow the phases proposed by Duck.
