Relationships- Theories of romantic relationships: Duck's phase model Flashcards
Phase model of relationship breakdown-
An explanation of the stages people go through when their relationship is not working. Once one partner is dissatisfied, there are four phases in the process, each with a different focus: intra-psychic, dyadic, social and grave-dressing.
What is Duck’s phase model of relationship breakdown?
Duck’s phase model describes the ending of a relationship as a process that takes time and goes through four distinct phases, each marked by a threshold where the perception of the relationship changes.
What are the four phases in Duck’s phase model?
The four phases are the intra-psychic phase, the dyadic phase, the social phase, and the grave-dressing phase.
What happens in the intra-psychic phase?
In the intra-psychic phase, the dissatisfied partner privately broods on the relationship’s shortcomings, weighs the pros and cons, evaluates alternatives, and begins making plans for the future. The threshold for this phase is, “I can’t stand this anymore.”
What is the focus of the intra-psychic phase?
The focus is on cognitive processes within the individual, where the dissatisfied partner reflects on their partner’s shortcomings and the relationship’s issues.
What happens in the dyadic phase?
In the dyadic phase, the partners confront each other, discuss their relationship, and air their dissatisfactions. The threshold for this phase is, “I would be justified in withdrawing.” The outcome can be either a decision to continue breaking up or an attempt to repair the relationship.
What happens in the social phase?
In the social phase, the break-up is made public, and partners seek support from their social networks. Friends may take sides, gossip spreads, and some may try to repair the relationship. The threshold for this phase is, “I mean it.”
What is the focus of the dyadic phase?
The focus is on interpersonal processes between the two partners, involving confrontations, discussions, and rethinking of commitment.
What is the focus of the social phase?
The focus is on wider processes involving the couple’s social networks, including seeking support, forming factions, and dealing with gossip.
What happens in the grave-dressing phase?
In the grave-dressing phase, the relationship is buried, and partners create a public story to save face, often blaming the other partner. They also create a personal story to reinterpret the relationship’s history. The threshold for this phase is, “It’s now inevitable.”
What is the focus of the grave-dressing phase?
The focus is on the aftermath of the relationship, including creating public and personal narratives to make sense of the break-up and maintain social credit.
What did Rollie and Duck (2006) add to the original model?
They added a fifth phase, the resurrection phase, where ex-partners focus on future relationships using experiences from the ended one. They also emphasized that progression through phases is not linear and that the model should account for the dynamic nature of break-ups.
What is a methodological issue with Duck’s model?
Much of the research is retrospective, meaning participants recall their experiences after the relationship has ended, which may lead to inaccurate or unreliable memories, especially of the early stages of breakdown.
What is a strength of Duck’s model in terms of real-life applications?
The model helps identify stages of breakdown and suggests strategies to reverse it, such as focusing on positive aspects of the partner in the intra-psychic phase or improving communication in the dyadic phase. These insights can be used in relationship counseling.
How does Duck’s model compare to Diane Flemlee’s fatal attraction hypothesis?
Duck’s model describes the process of breakdown, while Flemlee’s hypothesis explains why breakdowns occur, suggesting that the qualities that initially attracted partners may later become sources of dissatisfaction.
What is a cultural bias in Duck’s model?
The model is based on individualist cultures, where relationships are voluntary and often end. In collectivist cultures, relationships are more obligatory, involve the wider family, and are less likely to end, making the model less applicable across cultures.
How does the cultural bias affect the validity of Duck’s model?
The model’s validity is limited because it does not account for cultural differences in how relationships are formed, maintained, and ended, particularly in collectivist culture.
