factors affecting atrraction :filter theory

Question 1

filter theory

Answer 1

Kerckhoff and Davis

compared attitudes and personalities of student couples in short-term (less than 18 months) and long term (more than 18 months)

devised a filter theory to explain how such romantic relationships form and develop

in terms of partner choice - we all have a field of availeds but not everyone who is avaible is desirable

there are three main factors that act as filters to narrow down our range of partner choice

each of these factors assumes greater or lesser importance at different stages of a relationship

Question 2

social demography - 1st level of filter

Answer 2

refers to a wide range of factors all of which influence the chances of potential partners meeting each other in the first place

includes geographical location social class level of education ethnic group religion

much more likely to meet people who are physically close to you and who share several demographic characteristics

accessibility - doesn’t require much effort to meet people who live in the same area or go totally th same school

the outcome of the filtering is homogamny meaning you are more likely to form a relationship with someone who is socially or culturally similar

Question 3

similarity in attitudes - 2nd level of filter

Answer 3

partners will often share important belief and values partly because the filed of avaibles has already been narrowed due to the first filter

similarity in attitudes is importnat to the development of romantic relationships but only for the couples who had been together less than 18 months

there is a need for partners in the earlier stages of a relationship to agree over basic values

encourages greater and deeper communication and promotes self-disclosure

Question 4

complementarity - 3rd level of filter

Answer 4

ability of romantic partners to meet each others needs

two partner complement each other when they have traits that the other lacks

found that the need for complementatiy was more importnat for the long-term couples

at a later stage in the relationship opposites attract

complementaoty is attractive because it gives two romantic partners the feeling that together they form a whole which adds depth to a relationship and makes it more likely to flourish

Question 5

strength

Answer 5

research support

support from kerckhoff and davi’s ordinal study

conducted a longitudinal study

both partners in dating couples completed questionnaires to assess two main factors - similarity of attitudes/values and complementairty of needs

relationship closeness was measured by another questionnaire seven months later

study found that closeness was associated with similarity of values but only for couples wh has been together less than 18 months

for couples in longer relationships ships compeltaroty of needs predicted closeness

study provided evidence that similarity is importnat in the early stages of a relationsuop but completairty is more important later on

Question 6

strength

Answer 6

research support

support from kerckhoff and davi’s ordinal study

conducted a longitudinal study

both partners in dating couples completed questionnaires to assess two main factors - similarity of attitudes/values and complementairty of needs

relationship closeness was measured by another questionnaire seven months later

study found that closeness was associated with similarity of values but only for couples wh has been together less than 18 months

for couples in longer relationships ships compeltaroty of needs predicted closeness

study provided evidence that similarity is importnat in the early stages of a relationsuop but completairty is more important later on

Question 7

limitation

Answer 7

problems with completmentairty

complementairty may not be central to all longer-term relationships

prediction of the filter theory is that in the most satisfying relationships partners are complementary

example - one may have the need to be dominant and the other to be submissive

markey and markey found that lesbian couples of equal dominance were the most satisfied

their sample of couples has been romantically involved for a mean time of more than 4 and a half years

suggest that similarity of needs rather than. complentarty may be associated with long-term satisfaction at leats in soem couples

Question 8

limitation

Answer 8

actual versus perceived similarity

actual similarity matters less in a relationship than whether partner perceive or believe themselves to be similar

supported in a meta-analysis of 313 studies by montoya

found that actual similarity affected attraction only in very short tern lab based interactions

in real world relationships perceived similarly was stronger predictor of attraction

one interpretation of this fining is that partners may percovve greater similarities as they become more attracted to each other

therefore percoved similarity may be an effect of attraction and not a cause

which is not predicted by the filter model