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Guerrero, Close Encounters, 6e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
Chapter 15: Ending Relationships: Disengagement and Termination
Test Bank
Multiple Choice
1. According to research by Blumstein and Schwartz (1983), which of the
following types of relationships are most likely to break up?
A. heterosexual marriages
B. gay male couples
C. lesbian couples
D. All of these types of relationship are equally likely to break up.
2. Men are more likely to report the reason for their divorce as due to ______.
A. alcohol/drug abuse
B. infidelity
C. physical abuse
D. loss of love
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 ______.
A. conscious choice
B. atrophy
C. separation
D. sudden death
4. ______ occurs when people’s positive images of their partners and their
relationships start to fade.
A. Relationship disillusionment
B. Perceptual disruption
C. Relational negativity
D. Communication breakdown
5. Pay and Billi always seem to be working on their relationship. They rarely
seem to be happy and are continually in the repair and maintenance stage. They
are experiencing ______.
Guerrero, Close Encounters, 6e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
A. atrophy
B. chronic dissatisfaction
C. incompatibility
D. withdrawal
6. Women find it more difficult to forgive ______ infidelity in a relationship and
are more likely than a man to terminate the relationship.
A. sexual
B. emotional
C. financial
D. blended
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
B. dyadic phase
C. social phase
Guerrero, Close Encounters, 6e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
D. grave-dressing phase
8. Uncoupling begins with a secret. One of the partners starts to feel
uncomfortable in the relationship. This explains the ______ phase of a process
model of relational dissolution.
A. intrapsychic
B. dyadic
C. social
D. grave-dressing
9. People figure out what to tell their friends about their breakup in the ______
phase of Duck’s dissolution model.
A. intrapsychic
B. dyadic
C. social
D. grave-dressing
10. The main difference between catastrophe theory and stage models of
relationship dissolution such as Duck’s dissolution model is that ______.
A. catastrophe theory proposes that relationships may end suddenly rather than
moving through stages
B. the stages of catastrophe begin after the relationship ends
C. catastrophe theory is a model of conflict rather than relational dissolution
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
B. unilateral and direct
C. bilateral and indirect
D. unilateral and indirect
12. Which of the following is the best example of an indirect and unilateral
strategy of breaking up?
A. Just fade away, Kay.
B. Just blame the other, brother.
C. Just walk out the back, Jack.
D. Just date someone new, Lou.
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
B. pseudo de-escalation
C. the relationship talk trick
D. avoidance
14. The best unilateral strategy for ending a relationship is ______, and the best
bilateral strategy for ending a relationship is ______.
A. positive tone; negotiated farewell
B. negotiated farewell; positive tone
C. dating other people; relational ruses
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
B. slightly less likely
C. about 1½ to 2 times more likely
D. about 3 times more 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
B. they think their parents might get back together
C. they perceive the divorce to have been amicable and fair
D. they feel caught between their parents
17. Which of the following is most likely to cause a relationship breakup?
A. disillusionment
B. antagonism
C. lack of money
D. contentiousness
18. Which of the following statements about the superwoman syndrome is true?
In dual-career couples, ______.
A. women have primary care for the children, but share household chores with
their partner
B. women typically do 70% of the housework
C. women typically do the majority of the housework; however, the men do the
majority of the yard work and car maintenance
D. women who do the majority of the housework also advance more quickly in
their professional roles
19. Self-blame and other negative relationship thoughts following a breakup is
associated with ______.
A. improved relationships following the breakup
B. relationship reconciliations
C. depression
D. suicide
20. Katie and Hubbel broke up after a long-term relationship. She called him in
the middle of the night and said, “I need to talk to my best friend about my
breakup, but you’re my best friend.” This is an example of ______.
A. emotional distress
B. relational regret
C. intimacy loss
D. a double whammy
21. There can be positive outcomes that follow a relationship breakup. Which of
the following is an example of a positive outcome?
A. developing a template for future relationships
B. learning how to vent and criticize your ex in a constructive way
C. increasing your personal growth and self-confidence
D. knowing what to “watch out for” in future relationships
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
B. rapidly express love and affection in a new relationship to show the other
person that you have not lost your ability to love other people
C. let any new relationship evolve slowly and naturally
D. eventually communicate with your ex-partner that you no longer hold any
grudges against them and that you have forgiven them and yourself
23. Susie went online and defriended Betsy on Facebook. Susie used a/an
______ strategy to breakup with Betsy.
A. direct
B. indirect
C. unilateral
D. single stroke
24. Greg pretended he was interested in Lisa because she had tickets to the big
game. He was using the manipulative strategy called ______.
A. interpersonal maneuvering
B. affectionless communication
C. relational ruse
D. pseudo-attraction
25. Anna decided to completely stop contact with Daphne after a few dates. She
cut off all communication with her via telephone, social media, and text
messaging. What exit strategy did Anna use?
A. ghosting
B. alluding
C. de-escalation
D. relational ruses
True/False
1. One common reason for breakups is a difference in beliefs, attitudes, and
values.
2. The fait accompli approach gives a partner many choices for response.
3. The need for autonomy and independence is one of the top predictors of a
breakup.
4. Most dating breakups are mutual rather than the decision of just one of the
relational partners.
5. Catastrophe theory predicts that relationships are like earthquakes. They
result in destructive breakup.
6. In the resurrection phase, people go public with their problems.
7. Most divorces in the United States are voluntary.
8. Catastrophe theory suggests that most relationships are destined for a
disastrous and painful breakup.
9. Jennifer tells Kyle that she “just wants to be friends” when she actually wants
to end the relationship altogether. She has used pseudo de-escalation as a
strategy.
10. Lack of communication and psychological abuse are among the top
predictors of divorce.
11. One of the common reasons for relational breakup according to your text is
lack of money.
12. “At this point in my life, I’m not looking for a serious relationship.” This
statement is an appeal to independence.
13. Fading away is both an indirect and bilateral strategy.
14. Cost escalation is an attempt to make the relationship unattractive to one’s
partner.
15. Ghosting occurs when a person disappears from someone’s life as if they
were never part of it.
Essay
1. Discuss the five stages of Duck’s model of relational dissolution. Explain the
different steps and discuss how they are connected.
2. 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?
Guerrero, Close Encounters, 6e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
3. Poor communication is a common predictor of relational breakups. There are
several communication strategies partners can choose to use in the breakup
process. Select three and compare and contrast the effect these strategies have
on the breakup process.
4. What role does interest in another person play in relationship breakups? Does
it play the same role in both dating relationships and marriages?
5. What is “ghosting” someone? Give an example.
