Duck’s phase model Flashcards
Phase model of relationship breakdown
Explanation of the stages of when a relationship is not working, once a partner is dissatisfied they enter the four stages
Who proposed the phase model?
Steve Duck - 2007
Phase model
Breakdown is not a one-off event but distinct phases
Threshold
Each phase is marked by realising a change is needed
Intra-psychic phase
The dissatisfied partner thinks about reasons why they are unhappy, weighing up the pros and cons of ending or continuing the relationship
“I can’t stand this anymore”
Dyadic phase
Partners discuss the state of their relationship, airing their dissatisfactions in an atmosphere of hostility and resentment
“I would be justified in withdrawing”
Social phase
The break-up is made public and period of forming alliances in which mutual friends are expected to take sides
“I mean it”
grave dressing phase
The relationship is over and former partners spin their version of breakdown for public consumption and prepare for the next relationship
“It’s now inevitable”
EVAL - real-world application
P - strength as model suggests ways in which relationship breakdown can be reversed
E - people in intra-psychic phase could be encouraged to focus their worrying on positive aspects and dyadic phase has communication that can help relationships
E - model is useful as it recognises that there are different repair strategies at some points in the breakdown
L - can be used in relationship counselling to help people through difficult times
Counterpoint
P - model based on relationship breakdowns in individualist cultures
E - Moghaddam et al - relationships in individualist cultures voluntary and frequently come to an end while in collectivist cultures its less easy to end the relationship and involves the whole family
E - conception of romantic relationships differ between cultures, cultural relativism
L - model’s application would not be useful in all cultures
EVAL - incomplete model
P - limitation as original model is an incomplete explanation
E - new model added a fifth phase after grave dressing where ex-partners apply past experiences to future relationship
E - progression from one phase is not inevitable and processes are more important than linear movement from one phase to the next
L - original model does not account for complexity of breakdown
EVAL - early phases are less understood
P - limitation as it under-explains early phases of breakdown
E - research is retrospective as participants report experiences some time after relationship has ended, partners can be in intra-psychic phase for long time to distorted
E - recall may not always be accurate especially for early stages of relationship
L - model may not explain early part of breakdown process as well as later phases
EVAL - description rather than explanation
P - describes process of relationship using phases
E - felmlee’s fatal attraction hypothesis focuses on why rather than what happens
E - trait led to initial attraction may later be seen as undesirable such as humour and not taking anything seriously
L - other explanations may be more effective in explaining the relationship breakdown of some relationships
