Duck's Phase Model (Theories of Romantic relationships)

Theories of Romantic relationships - Duck's Phase Model

What is DPM?

DPM (1982)

• a model of relationship breakdown → not a one-off event, but a gradual process w/ distinct phases

• Each partner reaches a threshold: perception of relationship changes → become dissatisfied

Theories of Romantic relationships - Duck's Phase Model

What’s the first phase?

Intrapsychic phase:

• Realises dissatisfaction

• social withdrawal, rumination about how they would be better off not in the relationship, resent their under-benefitting

• Threshold: ‘I’m justified in leaving’

Theories of Romantic relationships - Duck's Phase Model

What’s the second phase?

Dyadic phase:

• discussion of unhappiness w/ partner → Anxiety, hostility, complaints, may become aware of the things that bind them together (eg: children, house) and costs of relationship ending (eg: social/economic) → if both are willing to try and save the relationship may go to couples councilling

• Threshold: ‘I mean it’ - v serious about leaving

Theories of Romantic relationships - Duck's Phase Model

What’s the third phase?

Social processes:

• going public, discussing with friends and family, building alliances, hard to deny problems w/ relationship and reconcile

• POINT OF NO RETURN

• Threshold: ‘it’s inevitable’

Theories of Romantic relationships - Duck's Phase Model

What’s the fourth phase?

Grave-dressing process:

• organising post-relationship life - make themselves look presentable/loyal to attract future relationships, stories about relationship (eg: betrayal) that makes their contribution to the breakdown look favourable (La Guipa (1982) - need to leave w/ their ‘social credit’ in tact). May reinterpret view of partner (eg: rebellious (attractive) → irresponsible (unattractive)

• Threshold: ‘time to get a new life’

Theories of Romantic relationships - Duck's Phase Model

What’s the fifth phase?

Resurrection process (added 2005):

• period of personal growth + learning, overcoming distress of the breakup

• Threshold: ‘time to get over it’

Theories of Romantic relationships - Duck's Phase Model

Fill in the blanks

1. breakdown (part of intra-psychic)

2. Intra-psychic phase

3. Dyadic phase

4. social processes

5. grave-dressing phase

6. resurrection process

Theories of Romantic relationships - Duck's Phase Model

Evaluation: Culturally biased

Moghaddam et al. claim models of relationship breakdown like Duck’s = culturally biased → overwhelmingly focus on individualist culture experiences (esp US) → Moghaddam claims relationships end more frequently + voluntarily in individualistic vs collectivistic where bonds b/w extended family + obligations b/w partners → relationship breakdown = v different → DPM maybe culturally bound

DTheories of Romantic relationships - Duck's Phase Model

Evaluation: descriptive not explanatory

DPM criticised bs only describes process, not explains why relationships might end → SET: by the costs of relationship outweighing benefits → ET: perceived equity of relationships and over/under benefitting → SO suggests = incomplete

Theories of Romantic relationships - Duck's Phase Model

Evaluation: Support

Tashiro + Frazier (2003) surveyed 92 undergraduates who recently had break ups → reported they experienced emotional distress during, and then personal growth → evidence of stages predicted in DPM

Theories of Romantic relationships - Duck's Phase Model

Evaluation: impact of social processes phase varies

nature/impact of the social phase depends on type of relationship → for teenagers/young adult’s seen as more unstable than LT adult relationships, largely recognised by others as testing grounds for future relationships SO may receive sympathy but not attempts at reconciliation from people they tell (‘plenty more fish in the see’) BUT older people in LT relationships = less expectations of finding replacement SO social phase = bigger impact (Dickson, 1995) → suggests social processes phase characterised by more attempts by others to rescue relationship

Theories of Romantic relationships - Duck's Phase Model

Evaluation: ethical issues

Research may have issues w/: protection from harm (participants may be distress revisiting issues that caused breakdown), privacy (many such issues = intensely personal) and confidentiality (esp victims of abusive relationship) → research’s benefits should > costs (esp for Ps) → difficult when dealing w/ vulnerable Ps attempting to cope w/ trauma + emo distress associated w/ breakup SO researches must carefully consider ethics in this area + if they have the Ps best interest in mind w/ their research Q