Romantic Relationships - Duck’s Phase Model Of Relationship Breakdown (relationships)

Question 1

Name the Duck’s stages of relationship breakdown

Answer 1

• Intra-psychic
• Dyadic
• Social
• Grave dressing

Question 2

What is the intra-psychic stage?

Answer 2

• Realising they are dissatisfied in their relationship, realise reasons and decide the way forward.
• The internal thought process that occurs before confronting the partner.
  Threshold: “I can’t stand this anymore”

Question 3

What is the dyadic stage?

Answer 3

• Feelings of dissatisfaction voiced to partner, can be confrontational.
  Threshold: “I would be justified in withdrawing”

Question 4

What is the social stage?

Answer 4

• Involving friends and family, making their issues public.
• People take sides, intervene and offer advice
• Reconciliation becomes more problematic
  Threshold: “I mean it”

Question 5

What is the grave dressing stage?

Answer 5

• Both sides construct their version of why the relationship broke down, minimising their faults and maximising their partners.
• Gossip involved.
• Showing themselves as trustworthy and loyal to attract a new partner
  Threshold: “It’s time to start a new life”

Question 6

What is the strengths of Duck’s phase model of breakdown?

Answer 6

+ Real life application: If individuals focused on the positive aspects of their partner and improve communication skills during the dyadic phase —> creates greater stability in the relationship.

+ Tashiro and Frasier: undergraduates recent breakups —> able to see the relationship in a more positive light and move on if they did not take personal responsibility for ending it.

Question 7

What are the limitations of Duck’s phase model of breakdown?

Answer 7

• Most of the research is based in retrospective data e.g. using questionnaires or interviews to ask pps about the breakup some time after it happened.
• More description than explanatory —> outlines what happens at each stage but doesn’t explain what causes the breakdown and each stage