Filter Theory Content Flashcards
What are the three ‘filters’ in filter theory?
. Social demography - location, social class etc
. Similarity of attitudes - basic values and attitudes should align
. Complementarity - harmoniousness of needs
When was the Kerckhoff and Davis study and why was this important?
It was in 1962, the filters used to pick a partner are very different today e.g social demography isn’t very important now with the creation of calls which allows long distance relationships to be maintained
How was social demography more of a relevant filter in 1962?
. People used to work near to their homes, so your day-to-day life was all around a fixed area
. Transport wasn’t as effective as it is now, people didn’t move around as much
This meant relationships were built from your local area with similar jobs and social classes
- social demography was already filtered out in 1962 automatically
Is filtering a conscious process?
No, a lot of the time you aren’t consciously filtering out potential partners but you subconsciously do it
What is a filter?
A criterion applied to a field of availables ( the total people available to us )
What factors is complementarity based on?
Psychological factors
What is complementarity in simple words?
People who bring the best out of us, like the missing piece of a puzzle, you fit together with somewhere and bring out their qualities
How can complementarity be linked to the idea of opposites attracting?
In an introvert-extrovert relationship:
. The introvert listens more, and the extrovert talks more (can show off their qualities)
. The extravert can bring out the confidence in the introvert in a social setting
. The introvert can keep the extrovert grounded in a social situation
Where does the word ‘harmoniousness come from’?
Comes from the idea of strengthening something
- this shows that for needs to be complementary, their traits must strengthen our own
- oppose needs need to work together e.g need to be cared for and need to be caring
Does filtering all happen at the same time?
No, as the relationship develops, different filters become more important:
. Initiating relationship - social demography
. Stabilising relationship/ talking stage - similarity of attitudes as this is when disclosure happens most
. Long-term - complementarity of needs
What is mostly focused on in the first filtering stage?
Social attraction rather than attraction to individual characteristics e.g more about how much you have in common socially such as from same education, class etc as you feel more at ease with them
- social circumstances reduce the range of people we will realistically meet with, they are the people we will ‘cross paths’ with
How are the ‘field of availables’ different to the ‘field of desirables’?
. Field of availables - entire set of possible romantic partners
. Field of desirables - the narrowed down range of potential partners AFTER filtering
What is the idea of the law of attraction?
Similarities between two people causes attraction
What is homogamy?
You are more likely to form a relationship with someone who shares similar attitudes and aspects to you (the idea of being like a ‘family’)
