Relationships - Relationship Breakdown Theory

Question 1

Duck’s Phase Model of Relationship Breakdown

Answer 1

Each or one partner reaches a ‘threshold’
- Perception of relationship has changed
Starts when partner realises they are not satisfied in their relationship

Question 2

Stage 1: Intra-Psychic

Answer 2

• ’ I can’t take this anymore’ - realisation that something isn’t right/needs to change
• Cognitive processing occurs
• Thinking about dissatisfaction privately (pros/cons)

Question 3

Stage 2: Dyadic phase

Answer 3

‘Would make sense to break up’ - come to a conclusion
- Discussing problems with partner & come to a conclusion
- Agree to repair relationship or solid determination to break up

Question 4

Stage 3: Social phase

Answer 4

’ I’m serious about this’ - doubling down on their feelings
- Breakup is public - seek support, mutual friends pick sides
- Tell friends & family about breakup
- Reveal previous info that was kept or end relationship further
- Point of no return

Question 5

Stage 4: Grave-Dressing phase

Answer 5

‘It’s time to move on’ - breakup is inevitable
- Aftermath of breakup
- Ex-partners create their own narrative about the breakup
Attributional bias - depends on who’s side you’re hearing, involves gossiping or diminishing the other party
- Conclusion to move on

Question 6

Rollie & Duck - Stage 5: Resurrection

Answer 6

‘Things will be different next time’
- Experiences gained from previous relationship taken forward to improve future ones
- Personal growth

Question 7

Evaluation

Answer 7

Strengths:
- Tashiro & Frazier - collage undergraduates who had recently split from partners reported their breakdown did follow the process
Final stage was a period of self growth to move on from relationship
- Takes account of social context in which the breakdown occurs

Weaknesses:
- Akert - found that the role people played in the decision to end the relationship was he most powerful indictor of how the breakup would affect people - those who didn’t initiate the relationship dissolution were the most miserable.
Those who did initiate it didn’t feel so bad, but did feel guilty.
Model doesn’t take this into account.
- Model built on retrospective, self-report evidence
- Founded on Western cultural ideals - limited application to other cultures - ethnocentric