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Duck's Phase Model of Relationship Breakdown - Coggle Diagram
Duck's Phase Model of Relationship Breakdown
Intra-Psychic Phase
Cognitive process within the individual, 1 partner is dissatisfied and considers pros and cons.
They may share this with a trusted friend and they may begin to make plans for the future.
Dyadic Phase
Interpersonal process between partners, problems can no longer be ignored, confrontations may occur.
Possible outcomes: a determination to continue breaking up the relationship or a renewed desire to repair it.
Social Phase
The break up is public, partners seek support and forge allies, social forces play a role.
Mutual friends are expected to choose a side - some will provide reinforcement and reassurance, other will be judgemental and put the blame on one of the partners.
Grave Dressing Phase
Focus is on the aftermath, favourable stories are told to friends about the break up.
It is crucial that each partner tries to retain some social credit by blaming everything but themselves.
Involves creating a personal story which you can live with (can be different to public one). The traits you originally liked about your partner and now seen as negative and you begin to 'tidy' up memories of the relationship.
Evaluation
Model can be used to help prevent relationship breakdown. It recognises repair strategies for different phases and these can be used in relationship counselling.
Research is retrospective and people could provide socially desirable answers. This means recall may be inaccurate and unreliable.
Model is incomplete,
ROLLIE and DUCK (2006)
added a 5th stage - the resurrection phase. Partners use their experience gained to look for a future one. Limited as doesn't account for dynamic nature of break ups with their uncertainty and complexity.
Research is based on individualist cultures so does not take collectivist cultures into account. Breakdown will not be the same across cultures.
Dickson (1995)
Therefore Duck's model may not apply to all couples.
Found that people tend put more effort into reconciling older couples' relationships but teenage break ups are seen as less serious.
Tashiro and Fraser (2003)
Viewing the situation as being responsible for the break up helps people to see it in a more positive light and move on.
Highlights the application of the theory to everyday relationships.
The social phase is greatly affected by individual differences, especially age.