Duck's Phase Model

• Duck's phase model of relationship breakdown


  Duck argued that the end of a relationship takes time and goes through 4 distinct phases, each phase marked by a partner meeting a 'threshold' where their perception of the relationship changes.
• 1 : Intra-psychic phase

  Focus is on cognitive processes occurring within the individual, admitting they are dissatisfied to themselves. They thing of the reasons for dissatisfaction and weigh up the pros and cons of the relationship.
• 2 : Dyadic phase


  Focus is on interpersonal processes between partners. Series of confrontations over time where dissatisfactions are discussed, characterised by anger, hostility and complaints. Two outcomes:

  • Continue with breakup
  • Desire to repair it
• 3 : Social phase

  Focus is on wider processes involving social networks, when the breakup is made public. Partners seek support and friends choose a side, gossip is traded and encouraged. Usually the point of no return.
• 4 : Grave-dressing phase


  Focus is on the aftermath, where partners bury the relationship by making a favourable story for public consumption, allowing the partners to maintain a positive reputation and show their ex in a bad light. Involves blaming circumstances or the ex, and creating a personal story for you to live with.
• Eval : Strength


  The model has useful real-life applications as it helps recognise that different repair strategies are more effective at particular points in the breakdown, helping couples to improve their relationship and stay together.
• Eval : Weakness


  The research examining breakdown is based on retrospective data meaning that people's memories of the event may be inaccurate or coloured by current situations, meaning unreliable. Suggests that Duck's model is based on research that provides an incomplete description of how relationships end.
• Eval : Weakness


  Rollie and Duck said the original model was too simple, so added the Resurrection phase, where ex-partners look to the future relationships with experience gained from past relationships. Suggests that the original model is too simplistic on the nature of breakups.