12. In the terminating stage of romantic relationships, “the relationship’s costs now outweigh its rewards” (Gamble & Gamble, 173).
The later five stages of a relationship involve coming apart and ending the relationship. The sixth stage is the differentiating stage and is when we start to consider ourselves not so much as a pair anymore and try to establish ourselves as individuals. The seventh stage is the circumscribing stage when individuals start the limit the amount and depth of their interaction. Next is the stagnating stage, when couples no longer experience growth. The two people may have no desire to talk to each other and any communication between them feels awkward. The ninth stage is the avoiding stage and is when the former partners do whatever it takes to avoid each other. The final and tenth stage is the terminating stage. Here, “the relationship’s costs now outweigh its rewards” (Gamble & Gamble, 173). I found it interesting that women are the ones who most often terminate a relationship, because I had always assumed the opposite.
The movie pictured above, The Break Up, shows a couple going through all five stages of coming apart. In the movie the characters were constantly around each other and fighting even after they had officially broken up. They were forced to be around each other because they had an apartment together and because it made for a more entertaining movie. I think in real life a couple whose relationship is not working out would try to avoid each other more to limit their potential communication and interaction.
Gamble, T. K., & Gamble, M. W. (2003). The Gender Communication Connection. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company
