filter theory Flashcards
What is Filter Theory?
Filter theory was proposed by Kirchoff and Davies in 1962. It suggests that there are certain limiting factors that affect choice of partners. We only become attracted to those who pass through a series of filters.
What is the field of availables?
The field of availables is all the people who are available to us to start a relationship with.
What is the field of desirables?
The field of desirables is the subset of people within the field of availables that we’d actually like to start a relationship with.
What is the first filter in Filter Theory?
The first filter proposed when selecting partners was social demography. Social variables such as age, social background, ethnicity, religion, etc. determine the likelihood of individuals meeting and socialising, which will in turn influence the likelihood of a relationship being formed.
Why is social demography important in partner selection?
We are more likely to prefer potential partners with whom we share a social demography as they are more similar to us and we share more in common with them in terms of norms, attitudes, and experiences.
What is the second filter in Filter Theory?
The second filter that Kerckhoff and Davis suggested was similarity in attitudes. Psychological variables related to shared beliefs and attitudes are the best predictor of a relationship becoming stable. Disclosure is essential at this stage to ensure partners really do share genuine similarity.
What is the third filter in Filter Theory?
The third filter was complementarity, which goes a step further than similarity. Rather than having the same traits and attitudes, a partner that complements their spouse has traits which the other lacks, thus supporting their emotional needs.
Can you give an example of complementarity in relationships?
For example, one partner may be good at organisation, whilst the other is poor at organisation but very good at entertaining guests.
What did Kerckhoff and Davis (1962) find about Filter Theory?
Kirchoff and Davies (1962) investigated filters by studying couples who had been together for more or less than 18 months. Over seven months, the couples completed questionnaires based on their views and attitudes which were then compared for similarities.
What were the key findings of Kerckhoff and Davis (1962)?
They suggested that similarity of attitudes was the most important factor in short-term relationships (less than 18 months), while complementarity was the most important factor in long-term relationships (over 18 months). This supports the Filter Theory suggestion of the importance of attitudes and complementary attraction for romantic partners.
What is a limitation of Kerckhoff and Davis’ (1962) study?
The study used student couples, so it may not be generalisable to populations outside of young, educated Americans, potentially introducing cultural bias.
How does Tylor (2010) support Filter Theory?
Tylor (2010) found that of Americans who married in 1998, 85% of them married within their own ethnic groups. This finding supports the concept that social demographics strongly influence selection of partners.
What is a criticism of the social demography filter?
Some stages of this model may now be seen as less relevant, as modern society is much more multicultural and interconnected (by things such as the internet) than in the 1960s. This may lead to the criticism that the theory lacks temporal validity.
How does Levinger (1978) critique Filter Theory?
Levinger (1978) pointed out that many studies had failed to replicate Kirchhoff and Davis’ original findings, suggesting a lack of temporal validity. However, this may be due to methodological issues in operationalising factors such as relationship success or complementarity of traits.
What do Davis and Rusbult (2001) and Anderson et al. (2003) suggest about similarity in relationships?
Both studies found that people become more similar in different ways the more time they spend in a relationship together. This suggests that relationships lead to an alignment of attitudes and a greater complementarity as couples assign each other roles.
How does Filter Theory relate to social exchange theories?
By including benefits of the partner in providing for emotional needs and complementing potential failings, this links to social exchange theories of relationships more than just a basic physical explanation of attraction.
