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Instructor Resource
Chapter 15 – Ending Relationships
Test Questions
Multiple Choice
1. According to research cited in the text (Blumstein & Schwartz, 1983), which of
the following types of relationships are most likely to break up?
a. heterosexual marriages
2. Research has shown that in dating and marriage relationships, women are
d. less likely than men to use unilateral strategies.
3. Metaphors about relationships “fading into the sunset” and being “a wonderful
garden that is slowly turning into an empty lot” suggest that a relationship is
following the general pathway to relational endings called:
d. sudden death.
4. ____________________ occurs when people’s positive images of their partners
and their relationships start to fade.
d. communication breakdown
5. Which of the following is NOT one of the specific reasons for break up listed in
the textbook?
a. lack of similarity
6. Which of the following statements about sex differences is TRUE according to
your textbook?
a. Men report boredom as a reason for breaking up more often than do women.
7. John and Tammy have been having problems for a while. When John finds out
that Tammy had an affair, he thinks to himself “I mean it! This time we are
breaking up” This cognitive threshold would push John into which stage of
Duck’s model of relationship dissolution?
a. intrapsychic phase
8. According to Duck’s phase model of relational dissolution, relational repair
becomes less probable when relationships reach the _________ phase.
a. intrapsychic
9. People weigh costs and rewards in the _____________ phase of Duck’s
dissolution model.
d. grave-dressing
10. The main difference between catastrophe theory and stage models of relationship
dissolution such as Duck’s dissolution model is that:
d. catastrophe theory focuses only on stages related to the intrapsychic phase, the
denial phase, and the terminating phase.
11. Research has found that the most common way of breaking up in dating
relationships is to use strategies that are:
a. bilateral and direct.
12. Which of the following is the best example of an indirect and unilateral strategy
of breaking up?
a. Just fade away, Kay.
13. Leah tells Brayden that she “just wants to be friends” when she actually wants to
end the relationship altogether. What disengagement strategy has Leah used?
a. cost escalation
Close Encounters: Communication In Relationships, Fourth Edition
Laura K. Guerrero, Peter A. Anderson, and Walid A. Afifi
Instructor Resource
© SAGE Publications, Inc. 2014
14. According to your textbook, the best unilateral strategy for ending a relationship
is _________________, and the best bilateral strategy for ending a relationship is
_________________.
d. relational ruses; dating other people
15. Research on the intergenerational transmission of divorce has shown that children
of divorced couples are _____________________to get divorced than are
children of non-divorced couples.
a. about 2 times less likely
16. Research has shown that children of divorced parents are less likely to talk about
the state of their family when:
a. their parents have only been divorced for a short period of time.
17. Which of the following is most likely to cause a relationship breakup?
d. contentiousness
18. On again, off again relationships are characterized by
a. less approval from their social networks
19. Self-blame and other negative relationship thoughts following a breakup is
associated with:
a. improved relationships following the breakup
20. Uncertainty and lack of closure about a relationship breakup is associated with
a. ongoing preoccupation with the breakup
21. Positive outcomes or relationship breakups:
a. are relatively rare
d. all of the above
22. Which of the following does the text recommend doing after ending a
relationship?
a. Move quickly into another relationship to avoid the short-term health
consequences that could result from the end of a significant relationship.
© SAGE Publications, Inc. 2014
23. The women's equality issue most likely to be associated with marital breakup is:
24. Which of the following was not among the top three reasons for divorce
according to your text.
d. infidelity/interest in third party.
25. According to your text which is the WORST (least effective) relationship
termination strategy?
c. hinting
d. confrontation
True/False
26. A primary goal of a successful breakup according to your text is to minimize
distress for your partner.
27. Avoiding one’s ex-partner is the best strategy for both people to “get over” the
distress of a relational breakup.
28. Most divorces are initiated by husbands.
29. Most dating breakups are mutual rather than the decision of just one of the
relational partners.
30. Catastrophe theory predicts that relationships like earthquakes they result in
destructive breakup.
31. The “direct dump” is a unilateral breakup strategy.
32. The least common kind of relational disengagement strategy is indirect and
bilateral.
33. Catastrophe theory suggests that most relationship are destined for a disastrous
and painful breakup.
34. Jennifer tells Kyle that she “just want to be friends” when she actually wants to
end the relationship altogether. She has used pseudo de-escalation as a strategy.
35. The “dumpee” in relational break usually offers little resistance.
36. One of the common reasons for relational breakup according to your text is lack
of money.
37. The MOST IMPORTANT reason for termination of dating for both men and
women is conflicting sexual attitudes.
38. The biggest problem with money that leads to breakups in marital relationship is
how much the man makes in relation to the woman.
39. The dyadic phase where we confront and interact with our partner is one of
Duck's five stages of relational dissolution.
40. Feeling excessive jealousy is one of the top two reasons for dating breakups.
Essay
41. Based on what you have learned about relationship disengagement discuss at least
three principles that would lead to less painful breakups for both parties.
Ans: Varies
42. What are the most common reasons for dating breakups? Are these similar for
heterosexual, gay, and lesbian couples? Do the same reasons also predict a
likelihood of divorce?
Ans: Varies
43. What are the two major dimensions of relationship breakups? How do they impact
the communication strategies employed during a breakup?
Ans: Varies
44. What role does interest in another person play in relationship breakups? Does it
play the same role in both dating relationships and marriages?
Ans: Varies
45. Discuss the stage models of relationship breakups. What are the advantages of
the various stage models? What are problems with stage models?
Ans: Varies
