Knapp Relationship Model

Tami Grende

COM 472

Theories in Action Paper

One of the most well-known relationship model was developed by Mark Knapp (Avtgis, West, & Anderson 1998). Knapp’s relationship model is used to label the stages between romantic partner, although, this relationship model could also be used to identify stages in other close relationships such as family and friends. According to Knapp (1984), the process of organizing the events unfolding in our lives and the world around us is explained in “terms of stages of growth, stages of deterioration, and forces that shape and act on this movement through stages.” The stages are divided to form two sections: coming together which includes the initiating, experimenting, intensifying, integrating, and bonding

I composed at least one question from each stage in Knapp’s relational development model for my interview. Each interview lasted for at least 45 minutes and I gave each participant a choice of whether to answer the question or not, because I did not want to trigger any negative emotions from their past experiences. The answers given in my one-on-one interview supports my past observations of the relationship. Both Susan and Whitney answered every question of my interview and given answers that I expected even before I conducted the interview. First, I asked them about the differentiating stage of their relationship. Susan described feeling lonely and inadequate after the winter break because she felt that Whitney was distancing herself from Susan. This feeling was supported by Whitney reporting that she was unsure about being in the relationship, because she did not want to identify herself being a same-sex relationship. Due to the fact that each of them were doing their own separate activities outside of their team practice, quality and quantity of their conversations were starting to degrade. Susan just wanted to stay in her room and not do much, she expected Whitney to do the same, but Whitney said that she had her own goals to strive to. The same rejection also happened to Whitney when she asked

Just as the name implies, this is when the relationship has ended and the couple have finally terminated their relationship. As mentioned by Knapp (1984), the termination of a relationship could happen instantaneously or even fade away slowly over a period of time. Both participants reported the breakup as a mutual decision and discussed how their post-relationship would look like. Susan said that she agreed on breaking up because she just wanted to see Whitney happy and not to be constrained in the relationship, while Whitney felt a sense of relief and