Factors Affecting Attraction: Filter Theory

Question 1

What is the field of availables?

Answer 1

The number of people available to us who we can form a relationship with.

Question 2

What is the field of desirables?

Answer 2

The people from the field of availables who we find attractive.

Question 3

What is the 1st filter in filter theory?

Answer 3

Social Demography

Question 4

What is social demography?

Answer 4

The range of factors that influence the chances of potential partners meeting in the first place.

Question 5

Give 5 examples of social demographics.

Answer 5

Race, religion, social class, proximity and education

Question 6

Why are we more likely to meet those who are physically close to us?

Answer 6

They are more accessible and require less effort to meet.

Question 7

Why might we discount someone as a potential partner?

Answer 7

They might be too different to us.

Question 7

What is homogamy?

Answer 7

The idea that we are more likely to form relationships with people who are more similar to us.

Question 8

What is the 2nd filter called?

Answer 8

Similarity in attitudes.

Question 9

The 2nd filter is more important for couples who have been together for less than what time period?

Answer 9

Less than 18 months.

Question 10

What does the law of attraction say about similarity in relationships?

Answer 10

The more similar couples are, the more attraction there will be between them.

Question 11

Deeper self disclosure starts to occur in a relationship when couples have agreed on what?

Answer 11

Once couples start to agree on things that matter to them.

Question 12

What the 3rd filter called?

Answer 12

Complimentarity

Question 13

What is complementarity?
Give an example of how couples may compliment each other.

Answer 13

The idea that partners need to meet each others needs.
Occurs when partners have traits that the other lacks. For example, one partner might enjoy making the other laugh and the other might enjoy being made to laugh.

Question 14

Complementarity is most important at which stage in a relationship?

Answer 14

Later stages.

Question 15

Explain the strength of there being research support from Kerckhoff and Davis’s study for filter theory.
The researchers conducted what type of study?
What research method did they use to assess the 2nd and 3rd filters?
After how many months they reassess relationship closeness?
They found that relationship closeness was associated with similarity for couples who had been together for less than how many months?
Which filter predicted closeness in long term couples?

Answer 15

The researchers conducted a longitudinal study where both partners in dating couples completed questionnaires to assess two main factors, similarity in attitudes/values and complementarity of needs. Relationship closeness was measured by another questionnaire 7 months later. The study found that closeness was associated with similarity of values but only for couples who had been together for less than 18 months. For couples in long term relationships, complementarity of needs predicted closeness. This study provided evidence that similarity is more important in the early stages of a relationship, but complementarity is more important later on.

Question 16

Explain a limitation with Kerckhoff’s study.
His findings have not been r……….
What 2 things did researchers put this down to?
State the questionable assumptions Kerckhoff made in his research.
Therefore this reduces the v________ of the research.

Answer 16

Levinger pointed out that many studies have failed to replicate the original findings of Kerckhoff and Davis. He put this down to social changes overtime, and to problems in defining the depth of a relationship in terms of length. Kerckhoff and Davis chose an 18-month cut off point to distinguish between short term and long term relationships. They assumed that partners who had been together longer than this were more committed and had a deeper relationship. This is a questionable assumption which means that filter theory is undermined by the lack of validity of its evidence base.

Question 17

Explain the limitation that there are issues with complementarity.
Use the example from Markey and Markey of lesbian couples of equal dominance, who had been romantically involved for more than 4.5 years.
What does this suggest about complementarity and similarity of needs in long term couples?

Answer 17

A prediction of filter theory is that in the most satisfying relationships, partners are complementary. For example, one partner may have a need to be dominant and the other one submissive. However, Markey and Markey found that lesbian couples of equal dominance were the most satisfied. Their sample of couples had been romantically involved for a mean time of more than 4.5 years. This suggests that similarity of needs rather than complementarity may be associated with long term satisfaction in some couples.

Question 18

Explain the limitation of there being a lack of temporal validity.
How have dating apps changed the field of availables?
Why does this mean social demography no longer limits our relationship choices in some areas?
Give examples social changes that are more common in relationships nowadays.

Answer 18

Filter theory claims that demographic filters reduce the field of available to a small group of people similar to ourselves (homogamy). However, the role of filters has changed over time. In terms of the 1st level filter, online dating apps have increased the field of available so that location no longer limits partner choice, meaning physical appearance is more important. Social changes have led to relationships that were less common 30 years ago, such as partners from different ethnic backgrounds. This means that filter theory may not apply throughout time.