These stages are a part of the Knapp’s Relationship Stages Model. Communicationtheory.org explains that this model is categorized into ten different stages, which come under two interrelating stages, and are known as Knapp’s relationship escalation model and Knapp’s relationship termination model. This helps to understand how a relationship progresses and deteriorates. Diverse levels of speed and altered time between each step can be seen and experienced when a relationship grows (Knapp 's Relationship Model, 2016). We will be concentrating on the escalating model more specifically when comparing Knapp’s model to the movie, “The Longest …show more content…
Richard Jones explains, in his text book “Communication on the Real World: An Introduction to Communication Theories”, the specific definition of each one of these stages. The initiating stage begins when two people encounter one another for the very first time, such as passing in the hallway. The experimenting stage occurs when these two people, who were previously in the initiating stage, exchange information and go from strangers to acquaintances. Once the two people indicate they are open to more intimacy (i.e asking to go out on a date) the relationship has transitioned from the experimenting stage to the intensifying stage. The integrating stage has been entered once the two individual identities have merged. One way of identifying this stage is when people begin to think of the relationship as one, this occurs whenever the two individuals are always mentioned in the same phrase (“Let’s invite John and Susan to….”). The final stage to this model is the bonding stage. This stage begins when the relationship is taken to the next level and the couple hosts a public ritual that announces formal commitment, which can include weddings and civil unions (Jr,