Relationships - Ducks Phase Model, Virtual Relationships and Investment Model

Question 1

What are the 4 phases of Duck’s model

Answer 1

Phase 1: intra psychic phase
Phase 2: dyadic phase
Phase 3: social phase
Phase 4: grave dressing phase

Question 2

Intra psychic phase

Answer 2

This is when a person admits to him/her self that they are dissatisfied with their relationship, they spend a lot of time thinking about the reasons for the dissatisfaction and possible ways forward. This stage focuses on a person’s internal thought process that occurs before confronting the partner

Question 3

Dyadic phase

Answer 3

Occurs when a person confronts their partner and voices their dissatisfaction. At this stage there are a lot of complaints coming from the partner initiating the breakup. The partner also rethinks the alternatives to their current relationship

Question 4

Social phase

Answer 4

In this phase the couple involve friends and relatives and make their distress public. According to Duck, once the conflict reaches this phase, it’s more difficult for a couple to mend their relationship as friends and family will take sides, intervene in the couple’s relationship and offer advice, which can make the reconciliation much more problematic

Question 5

Grave dressing phase

Answer 5

Having left their partner, both sides construct their version of why their relationship broke down, usually minimising their faults and maximising their partner’s. At the same time, they try to show themselves as trustworthy and loyal in order to attract a new partner

Question 6

Intro to Duck’s phase model

Answer 6

Many people view relationship breakdown as a one-off event that happens when one partner decides to leave a relationship. However, social psychologist Steven Duck (2007) suggested that relationship dissolution is a process that consists of several distinctive stages.

Question 7

Self disclosure AO1

Answer 7

~Self disclosure refers to revealing intimate information to another person
~ for example, revealing our likes and dislikes, hopes and fears, interests and attitudes. We share what really matters to us
~most people are careful about disclosing too much too soon
~self disclosure plays an important role in developing a relationship beyond initial attraction

Question 8

Gating AO1

Answer 8

Gates are factors which help people decide if someone’s a suitable partner. Virtual relationships are anonymous so there’s no gating

Question 9

The investment model AO1

Answer 9

The investment model was put forward by Rusbult et al (2001), as a development of social exchange theory

Question 10

Commitment results from 3 factors

Answer 10

Factor 1: Satisfaction- the extent to which partners feel the rewards of the romantic relationship exceeds the costs
Factor 2: Comparison with alternatives- a judgement about whether a relationship with a different partner would increase rewards and reduce costs
Factor 3: Investment- the resources associated with a romantic relationship which would be lost if the relationship ended

Question 11

Two types of investment

Answer 11

Intrinsic: any resource put directly into the relationship (eg money and energy)
Extrinsic: investments that previously didn’t feature in the relationship which are now closely associated with it (eg joint house and children)

Question 12

Relationship maintenance mechanisms

Answer 12

~ Promoting the relationship (accommodation)
~putting their partner’s interests first (willingness to sacrifice)
~forgiving them for any serious transgressions (forgiveness)

Question 13

Investment model AO3 - STRENGTH

Answer 13

Le and Agnew’s (2003) review found that satisfaction CLalt and investment size all predicted commitment - commitment linked with greater stability and longevity
The outcomes were true for both men and women, across all cultures and for homosexual and heterosexual relationships
This suggests that the model’s claim that these factors are universally important in relationship is valid

Question 14

Investment model AO3 - WEAKNESS cant explain why people stay in abusive relationships

Answer 14

Rusbult and Martz (1995) studied abused women staying at a shelter
~ those who reported most investments and little alternatives were most likely to return to abuse
~ the women in this study were dissatisfied with their relationships but returned to their partners because they were committed to them
~ therefore, satisfaction on its own can’t explain why people stay in relationships

Question 15

Investment model AO3 - WEAKNESS

Answer 15

Goodfriend and Agnew (2008) argue that there’s more to investment than just the resources put into it
~Early in a relationship partners make very few actual investments but they do invest in future plans - these motivate partners to commit
~ this means the original model is a limited explanation as it fails to consider the true complexity of investment

Question 16

Virtual Relationships AO1

Answer 16

Self disclosure happens much faster, due to anonymity. Much less of a risk of rejection and ridicule, so greater sharing of personal information.

Question 17

Virtual relationships- reduced cues theory AO1

Answer 17

Reduced cues theory (Sproull and Kiesler 1986) suggests that virtual relationships are less effective due to the lack of non verbal cues (eg physical appearance, emotional responses).
In face to face relationships we rely on these cues.
Lack of cues about emotional state (voice and facial expressions) lead to de-individuation.
People then feel freer from the constraints of social norms and this leads to blunt communication and reluctance to self dislose

Question 18

Virtual relationships AO1 - Hyperpersonal model (Walther 1996)

Answer 18

Suggests that since self disclosure happens quicker in virtual relationships, relationships also develop more quickly
1.Sender has control (selective self-presentation) and may be hyper honest and/or hyper dishonest
2. Receiver’s feedback may reinforce sender’s selective self-presentation

Question 19

Virtual relationships AO1 - What is a gate

Answer 19

McKenna and Bargh (1999) argue that ‘gates’ (eg a stammer or disability) may be obstacles to a face to face relationship

Question 20

Virtual relationships AO1- Effects of absence of gating in virtual relationships

Answer 20

Gates are absent in virtual relationships- so these relationships are more likely to ‘get off the ground’ than face to face relationships and self disclosures become deeper
Without gates, people are free to be more like their ‘true selves’ in virtual relationships
However, they can also create fake identities to deceive people- change their age or gender, a shy person can be an extrovert