Factors affecting attraction: Filter theory Flashcards
1
Q
What did Kerchoff and Davis study?
A
- compared the attitudes and personalities of students couples in short-term (less than 18 months) & long-term relationships
2
Q
What did Kerchoff and Davis devise to explain how romantic relationships develop?
A
- filter theory
3
Q
What is the filter theory?
A
- explanation of relationship formation that states that a series of different factors progressively reduces the range of available romantic partners to a much smaller pool of possibilities
4
Q
What are the three main factors that act as filters to narrow down our range of partner choice to a filed of desirables?
A
- social demography ( 1st level of filter)
- similarity in attitudes (2nd level of filter)
- complementarity (3rd level of filter)
5
Q
What is social demography? (1st level)
A
- refers to a wide range of factors (location, social class, level of education, ethnic group, religion etc.)
- these filter out a large number of available partners > outcome of this is homogamy (more likely to form relationship with someone who is culturally or socially similar)
- proximity is also key as it makes communication between two parties easier
6
Q
What is similarity in attitudes? (2nd level)
A
- we find partners who share our basic values attractive in the earlier stages of a relationship
- we discount available individuals who differ from us in attitudes
7
Q
At what stage is similarity in attitudes important in a relationship?
A
- Kerchoff & Davis - only important in the development of romantic relationships for couples who have been together less than 18 months
8
Q
Why is there a need for partners to agree on basic values at the early stages of a relationship?
A
- encourages greater and deeper self-disclosure and promotes self-disclosure
9
Q
What is complementarity? (3rd level)
A
- concerns the ability of romantic partners to meet each others needs (need for partner to balance your traits with opposite ones of their own)
- e.g. submissive & dominance
10
Q
At what stage is complementarity important in a relationship?
A
- Kerchoff and Davis, need for complementarity was more important in long- term couple
- at a later stage of a relationship opposites attract
11
Q
What is a strength of the filter theory?
A
- Kerchoff & Davis original study
- conducted a longitudinal study > gave couples questionnaires to assess similarity in attitudes & complementarity
- relationship closeness measured by another questionnaire 7 months later
- Findings: closeness associated with SiA in ST couples (18 months)
- closeness associated with complementarity in LT couples
- supports
12
Q
What is a limitation of complementarity?
A
- complementarity not central to all longer- term relationships
- prediction of filter theory = most satisfying partners are complementary e.g. dominant & submissive
- Markey & Markey, found that lesbian couples of equal dominance were the most satisfied (sample = together longer than 4.5y)
- suggests SIA may be associated with LT satisfaction
13
Q
What is another limitation of the filter theory?
A
- is that actual similarity matters less in a relationship than whether partners perceive themselves to be similar
- Montoya et al > found in his meta-analysis that actual similarity affected attraction in short term lab based interactions
- in real world, perceived similarity was a stronger predictor of attraction > partners may perceive greater similarities as they become more attracted to one another
- may be an effect of attraction & is not predicted by theory
14
Q
What is another limitations of filter theory?
A
- does not account for social changes
- filter theory claims that demographic factors reduce the field of available to a smaller pool similar to ourselves (homogamy)
- however online dating & apps have increased the field of availables so that location no longer limits partner choice > PA more important
- moreover relationships that were once less common (interracial) have become more frequent
- filter theory is limited and must adapt to modern change
