1. Relationships
Lesson 8

2. Starter
Make a list of celebrity couples whose relationships have ended and suggest reasons why the relationships have broken down.

3. Learning Objectives
1) To understand the reasons why relationships breakdown according to Duck (1999)
Success Criteria
Make notes on page 15 of your booklet about the reasons for relationship breakdown according to Duck (1999).
Evaluate the reasons for relationship breakdown.
 Challenge  Create a poster about celebrity couples whose relationships have ended and back this up with Duck’s reasons for relationship breakdown.

5. Reasons for Relationship Breakdown (Duck, 1999)
Lack of skills
Some people lack the interpersonal skills to make a relationship work.
For example they may be poor at conversation, do not show their interest in the other person, and are unrewarding in their interactions.
Due to the lack of social skills they are often perceived as being disinterested in the relationship and it tends to breakdown before it starts.

6. Reasons for Relationship Breakdown (Duck, 1999)
Lack of stimulation
People look for rewards in a relationship (social exchange theory) and one of these rewards is stimulation.
Baxter (1994) suggests that a lack of stimulation could lead to the relationship breaking down.
People expect their relationship to change and develop and when it doesn't there is justification for the relationship to end in search of a new one.

7. Reasons for Relationship Breakdown (Duck, 1999)
Maintenance difficulties
When partners struggle to see each other enough the relationship can breakdown.
Shaver et al. (1985) found that going to university can place a strain on the relationship.
Some relationships are strong enough to last the decreased contact, but some aren’t.

8. Activity
Fill in the table on page 15 of your booklet, summarising the evaluation points on page 53 of your textbook.
Remember to include synoptic details from your toolbox.

9. Boekhout et al. (1999)
Extramarital affairs are one reason why relationships breakdown.
These affairs can be a direct reaction to a lack of skills and/or stimulation.
Undergraduates were asked to rate sexual and emotional reasons for men and women to be unfaithful.
Participants judged sexual reasons to be more common for men (sexual excitement, boredom, variety)
Participants judged emotional reasons to be more common for women (lack of attention, lack of commitment, emotional satisfaction).

10. Rohlfing (1995)
Long distance friendships and relationships are more common than we think.
Rohlfing found 70% of students had experienced a LDRR and 90% has experienced a LDF.
Our mobile society means that we can move around but remain in contact with friends and relatives.

11. Couples Coping Enhancement Training
Training exists to enhance relationships and give distressed couples the skills needed for an effective relationship.
Couples are taught about equity and respect and to improve communication and problem-solving.
Cina et al. (2003) compared 50 couples with an average relationship length of 12 years with CCET with a control group who did not.
Results showed that those with CCET reported higher marital quality after training compared to controls.

12. Learning Objectives
1) To understand the reasons why relationships breakdown according to Duck (1999)
Success Criteria
Make notes on page 15 of your booklet about the reasons for relationship breakdown according to Duck (1999).
Evaluate the reasons for relationship breakdown.
 Challenge  Create a poster about celebrity couples whose relationships have ended and back this up with Duck’s reasons for relationship breakdown.

13. Research Activity
Carry out some research on the internet, in magazines, or in newspapers and find some examples of relationships that have ended.
You should find examples for each of Duck’s (1999) suggestions:
Lack of skills
Lack of stimulation
Maintenance difficulties
Create a collage about these couples.