There are six well defined stages in interpersonal relationships, including:

Contact: the initial stage of the relationship that includes a perceptual stage where theindividuals simply become aware of each other, and an interactional stage thatincludes the exchange of basic information and where each individual decides if arelationship is worth pursuing. (This stage is identified by Mark Knapp asInitiating.)

Involvement: increased contact which allows the individuals to learn more about eachother, a sense of being connected begins to develop and the individuals begin tospend more time together doing things that suggest an intensification of therelationship. (This stage includes Mark Knapp’s Experimenting andIntensifying stages.)

Intimacy: Each individual feels a sense of commitment to the other and some type ofdefined relationship, usually divided into two stages—the interpersonalcommitment which is a private commitment and the social bonding which is morepublic. Both individuals identify individually as part of a unit or pair, and thepublic also identifies them as such. (This stage includes Mark Knapp’sIntegrating and Bonding stages.)

Deterioration: the weakening of the bonds of intimacy due to dissatisfaction thatultimately leads to withdrawal from contact, decreasing self-disclosure andincreased deception. This stage may or may not include arguing and quarreling.(This stage includes Mark Knapp’s Differentiating, Circumscribing, Stagnatingand Avoiding stages

Repair: one or both individuals make attempts to analyze what is wrong and try to findways to solve the problems by changing own behaviors or changing theexpectations of the other’s behaviors. The goal of this stage is a return to theintimacy stage. This stage may be skipped.

Dissolution: completely severing the bonds that held the relationship together in theintimacy stage. (This stage is identified by Mark Knapp as Terminating.)

Watch the 2006 movie “The Break-up” (with Jennifer Aniston and VinceVaughn). Watch for signs and examples of the above six stages of a relationship. Keepin mind that the initial stages may be represented in incidents from the past that are beingremembered or retold by the characters.Write a short, 1 1/2 to 2 page, double spaced essay addressing all six of the stages ofinterpersonal relationships.Remember that although the above components are being demonstrated and studied witha romantic relationship in this particular move, the same processes occur in other types ofrelationships (friendships, work relationships, etc.) as well.