Duck's Phase Model

• Duck's Phase Model of Relationship breakdown


  An explanation of the stages people go through when their relationship is not working. The ending of a relationship is not a one off event but is a process that takes time
• What are the 4 stages of Duck's Phase Model called?

  1. Intra-psychic phase
  2. Dyadic phase
  3. Social phase
  4. Grave dressing phase
• Intra-psychic phase

  • Focus is on the cognitive processes within the individual and they may not say anything about their dissatisfaction but feel resentful and have thoughts about whether they would be better without the relationship
  • Unhappiness may also be expressed indirectly through social withdrawal
  • The threshold for this stage is usually characterised by thoughts such as “I can’t stand this anymore” indicating a need for change
• Dyadic Phase

  • The unhappy partner discuss their dissatisfaction
  • Discussions take place where partners may discuss their lack of inequity and imbalanced roles
  • Feelings of anger and guilt may be aired between the two and two possible outcomes occur
  • Provided the discussions can be constructive this can lead to reconciliation with a desire to repair the relationship
  • If this fails the threshold for the next phase is reached
  • This threshold may be characterised by thoughts such as “I would be better off without this relationship”
• Social Phase

  • Sees the breakup made public within their social circles
  • Each partner will seek support, forge alliances and negotiations will take place over assets
  • Mutual friends may be expected to pick a side and gossip may be traded with some being judgmental placing blame on one partner
  • Some may provide previously withheld secrets to hasten the end of the relationship or help repair the relationship between them
  • The threshold here would be thoughts such as “this is now inevitable” as others have become aware now
• Grave dressing phase

  • Covers why the breakdown occurred with each person having their own account that presents themselves favourably often at the expense of the other
  • Rebuilding of self esteem for future relationships occurs here to show trust and loyalty
  • People may try to retain social credit by blaming circumstances, the other partner or anything except themselves
  • May create a story that sits comfortably with themselves such as traits they found initially endearing about the partner are now bad
  • The threshold here would be the individual concluding “its time to start a new life”
• AO3 Duck's Phase Model: Real World Application

  • Relationship breakdown can now be reversed due to this model
  • Useful because it recognises different repair strategies are more effective at some points of the breakdown
  • Duck recommends in the intra-psychic phase should think of positives of their partner
  • In the dyadic phase communication can be heightened to make their relationship more stable
  • Be used in relationship counselling
• AO3 Duck's Phase Model: Incomplete Model

  • The original model explained is an incomplete explanation of breakdown
  • Another researcher added a 5th phase where someone learns from their past relationships
  • The progression from one phase to the other is not inevitable as it is possible to return to an earlier point
  • The model does not account for the complexity of the ending of a relationship
• AO3 Duck Phase: Gender differences

  • Gender differences exist and this theory suffers from gender bias as it attempts to play down gender differences assuming the process is experienced similarly by men and women
  • Women cited a lack of emotional support as the reason for breakdown while men cited an absence of fun
  • Women also wanted to remain friends while men preferred clean breaks
  • This suggests gender differences exist that the model is unable to explain
• AO3 Duck's Phase Model: Individual Differences

  • Individual differences also exist and a possible additional phase that is unaccounted for
  • The person who instigated the break up tended to suffer fewer negative consequences than the non instigator
  • This suggests individual differences in the effects of the dissolution but also the fact that another stage may exist where the instigator may already have calculated the breakup
  • Duck's model considers relationship breakdown in an oversimplified way