Journal #5
Kaitlyn Gregory
Question 2
I have never fully experienced all these stages in the Knapp’s Development Model, but I
have witnessed all of them from an outside point of view during my lifetime. Through my
experience with Knapp’s Developmental Model, I can relate my parents to them for almost
each step of the model. When I was younger, my parents got divorced when I was around the
age of eight. I watched them go through the steps of differentiating, circumscribing, stagnating,
avoiding, and then terminating.
Around the age of 5 was when the differentiating stage started happening. This stage
was occurring because of the decision to move and all the responsibilities that come along with
it. My parents did have their own separate lives before the decision of moving. Therefore, I
believe the differentiating stage was a negative thing. One of my parents did not want to leave
their separate life, friends, and job. After the differentiating stage came the circumscribing
stage. This stage means the partners have their own space. When my parents started this
phase, my dad would sleep in a different bedroom to give my mom her personal space hoping
this would help their problems.
The stagnating stage is when the newness and novelty is gone. This occurred when my
parents started having a set routine in the house and with my brother and me. I believe they
both were bored of how their lives were at the time and they thought they deserved better.
After this was happening for several years, the avoiding stage occurred. I realized my parents
Kaitlyn Gregory
Question 2
I have never fully experienced all these stages in the Knapp’s Development Model, but I
have witnessed all of them from an outside point of view during my lifetime. Through my
experience with Knapp’s Developmental Model, I can relate my parents to them for almost
each step of the model. When I was younger, my parents got divorced when I was around the
age of eight. I watched them go through the steps of differentiating, circumscribing, stagnating,
avoiding, and then terminating.
Around the age of 5 was when the differentiating stage started happening. This stage
was occurring because of the decision to move and all the responsibilities that come along with
it. My parents did have their own separate lives before the decision of moving. Therefore, I
believe the differentiating stage was a negative thing. One of my parents did not want to leave
their separate life, friends, and job. After the differentiating stage came the circumscribing
stage. This stage means the partners have their own space. When my parents started this
phase, my dad would sleep in a different bedroom to give my mom her personal space hoping
this would help their problems.
The stagnating stage is when the newness and novelty is gone. This occurred when my
parents started having a set routine in the house and with my brother and me. I believe they
both were bored of how their lives were at the time and they thought they deserved better.
After this was happening for several years, the avoiding stage occurred. I realized my parents
