- Would you describe your relationship with your Partner as one of choice or circumstance? Has it changed? What initially attracted you to your Partner (short-term attraction)? (Think about interpersonal attraction, which holds true for friendships as well as romantic relationships.) Are any of those short-term factors still an issue? Have different factors emerged as your relationship developed (long-term attraction)?
- Brainstorm some of the turning points that you have experienced in both the escalation and de-escalation (coming together and coming apart) stages of your relationship with your Partner. Identify the relational stages in which the turning points occurred. Identify whether each turning point is a causal or reflective turning point. How significant an impact are turning points in the development of your relationship?
- In your relationship with your Partner, is it acceptable to be deceptive? Does your answer differ based upon circumstances? What form does your deception come in (e.g., white lie, exaggeration, omission)?
- If your relationship with your Partner is current: If this relationship were to dissolve, which termination strategy would you prefer? Why?
- If your relationship with your Partner has already dissolved: What termination strategy was used? How did you feel? Would you have done something differently?
- If your relationship with your Partner has already dissolved: How well does Steve Duck’s model of relationship dissolution fit what happened to you (intrapsychic phase, dyadic phase, social phase, grave-dressing phase)? What happened that is not reflected in his model?