Knapp's Stages of Relationship: Discussion Board Post

This discussion board post delves into Knapp's Stages of relationship development and deterioration. The student begins by defining the intensifying stage within a current relationship, providing a detailed scenario of a date that leads to the formation of a common identity and the use of nicknames, signifying the beginning of an interpersonal relationship. The student then applies Knapp's model to a past business partnership, outlining all ten stages: initiation, experimenting, intensifying, integrating, bonding, differentiating, circumscribing, stagnation, avoiding, and terminating. Each stage is supported with relevant examples, illustrating how the relationship evolved from initial introductions to eventual dissolution due to differing opinions and communication breakdowns. The assignment demonstrates the student's understanding of the theory by applying it to both personal and professional contexts and providing concrete examples to support their claims.

Running head: KNAPP’S STAGES
KNAPP’S STAGES
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1KNAPP’S STAGES
Part I
The theory of Knapp’s relationship explains how relationships undergoes relational
maintenance between process of coming together and coming apart. The model is reveals ten
different stage through the means of verbal communication skills through which a view of
dynamic perceptions, actions, thoughts, culture and the status of the relationship is explored.
Following it, I thereby, elaborate an instance based on one of Knapp’s relationship stages,
that is, the stage of intensifying. The scenario is a man asks me out for a date. And following
it, we meet at a café, a perfect place to have a conversation. During the date, we had a
conversation regarding our interests, job experience, personal experiences and also we
exchanged some information about or families. Through the exchange of our thoughts and
appropriate words regarding our interest, a trait of intensifying is established. The
conversation and our way of interaction happened to form a shape of common identity, for
example,” How about we go out for a movie on next week”. As time went by, an
interpersonal relationship happened to begin by the end of the date. We started calling by
nicknames of our own choice, for instance “pako” and “cupcake”. The stage of this
relationship defines the intense phase of coming together. At this point of relationship, the
stage proceeds forward in the process of self disclosure, that is, it is the time when one
reveals private information that may be matter of high concern or risk. One happens to reveal
secrets to the partners and this is when the relationship gets upgraded into the next level.
Part II
Knapp’s model of relationship reflects one of my past relationship that is associated with
business agreement.
Initiation : The stage of initiation began with an exchange of names and basic introduction.

2KNAPP’S STAGES
Experimenting: the conversation further proceeded with interviews in which it involved
series of question that were asked in order to gain information
Intensifying: the third stage was identified through the phases when we happened to
exchange lot of words explaining our personal experience that were important and essential
in the context of business.
Integrating: The conversation took shape into a sense of confidence for each which is
required in business partnership agreement.
Bonding: Through the process of communication, we now happen to be business partners
with shared values and respect for each other along with loyalty.
Differentiating: However, due to certain circumstances while the assessment of leadership
roles in our business, there is a clash between our ideas and opinions.
Circumscribing: With increasing difference in our ideas and opinions towards business
models and plan, we happened to reduce communicating with each other.
Stagnation: The entire business plan came to stagnation the moment when we began to stop
talking and stated seeing each other as an obstacle towards our independent ambition.
Avoiding: the partnership came to a stage where no further interests were put forward.
Terminating: Finally, the relationship of business partnership agreement came to an end.