Duck's phase model

• What is duck's phase model?

  • Duck argues that a breakup is not immediate but rather made up of many stages.
  • Each phase is marked by a threshold where one or both partners hit a point tipping them into the next stage.
  • According to Duck, there are 4 stages
• What is the first stage?

  Intrapsychic phase
• What is the intrapsychic stage?

  • One of the partners becomes increasingly dissatisfied with the relationship, they think about the situation, maybe even disclosing it to a close friend but do not say it to their partner.
  • They may socially withdraw from their partner.
  • If the dissatisfaction is not great, there is progression to the next stage.
  • The next threshold would be “I can’t stand it anymore
• What is the second stage?

  Dyadic phase
• Dyadic phase?

  • The dissatisfied partner will talk to their partner expressing their dissatisfaction.
  • This may involve complaining about lack of equity, resentment of roles, rethinking of commitment.
  • Partners will repair or dissolve the relationship. If dissatisfaction is not resolved, next stage is introduced.
  • The dyadic threshold would be “I’d be justified in withdrawing”
• Social phase?

  • If attempts at negotiation are not successful, their breakup is made public to family members or friends.
  • Some may attempt to reassure them to break up but some may try to get them back together.
  • If the relationship can not be saved.
  • The social phase threshold is: “I mean it”
• What is the third stage?

  social phase
• What is the grave dressing phase?

  • Ex-partners begin organising their new lives and will publicise their own accounts of the breakdown.
  • They will want to defend their reputation and give credit to themselves in a new relationship.
  • They will want to convince a new partner that they are a reasonable bet and maintain their own self-esteem.
  • The threshold is “Its now inevitable”
• What is the fourth stage?

  grave-dressing phase
• Supporting evidence for the phase model?

  • Supporting evidence - Tashiro and Frasier (2003) used under grad p’s who recently had a breakup.
  • They found that when p’s viewed the situation rather than their own faults for ending the relationship, it made them see it in a more positive light and move on.
  • This is exactly what the grave dressing phase predicts.
  • Therefore, the claims of the model are strengthened and highlights application to real life relationships.
• Methodical issues of the research?

  • The research is retrospective as p’s give details about their relationships some time after it has ended.
  • This causes participants to recall memories which may not be accurate.
  • The early stages of breakdown tend to be distorted or ignored together.
  • As p’s self-report, there may be issues in social desirability bias as p’s may not want to admit to their own failings within a relationship.
  • Therefore, the research may lack internal validity and not support Duck’s theory of relationship breakdown. 
• Rigid nature of the phase model?

  • Not all relationships break down in the same way
  • Some leave a relationship and say little, others end in anger.
  • Some may save or speed up the relationship. Duck said the model was too simple and added some stuff to it.
  • Progression from one phase to another was not inevitable.
  • It is possible to return to an earlier phase at any time.
  • He also added a 5th phase called “the resurrection phase”.
  • This is when ex-partners focus on future relationships using experience from past relationships.
  • This highlights problems with duck’s original model.
• Negative evaluation regarding age of the stages?

  • Social phase may be different for adults and teenagers.
  • Teenagers and young adults’ romantic relationships are seen as more unstable, seen as training grounds for future long commitments.
  • They may receive sympathy with fewer attempts to get them back together as there are other potential spouses.
  • However for older people, there are lower expectations about finding a replacement and breaking up is seen as more detrimental. This shows that the social phase will involve more obvious attempts to rescue the relationship.