L4 - Factors Affecting Relationships: Filter Theory Flashcards
What is the filter theory?
- explains how relationships form & state that different factors reduce range of partners available
- Kerchoff & Davis (1962) found that there were filtering factors at different stages of the partner selection process & people try to chose the ‘best fit’ partner
3 filters
1) social demography
2) similarity in attitudes
3) complementarity of needs
Social demography
- based on social characteristics & concerns variables such as age, ethnicity, social background (wealth), geographical location and likelihood of meeting person
- can be restricted as we are likely to meet people from our own social & educational groups or people who live nearby
- if we have similar social demography we will at ease with them & might find them more attractive as we have more in common with them
Similarity in attitudes
- this filter is based on psychological characteristics & looks at whether people have the same attitudes, beliefs & values.
- similarity in attitudes & values are of central importance at the start of a romantic relationship & can help predict stability, especially if the relationship has lasted 18 months or less
- through self-disclosure, individuals weigh up the decisions about whether to continue or end the relationship based on this filter
- partners who have different values & attitudes are not seen as suitable to continue their relationship & they may filter out this person
Complementarity of needs
- the filter is based on emotional characteristics
- people who have different needs in a relationship & more attraction may occur if the 2 people have different needs that complement each other e.g. one likes to be cared for & other wants to care for someone
- both parents may like each other as they have mutual satisfaction & opposing needs that haven’t been met
- research has found that needs to be complementary & not similar in order for the relationship to work & be successful e.g. if 1 person is dominant, the other person should be laid back & might need their partner to tell them what to do sometimes
- Long term relationships have more attraction when needs of partners are harmonious not conflicting
Key study
- Kerckhoff & Davis conducted a longitudinal study of 94 couples from Duke uni in USA
- each person in couple completed 2 questionnaires to assess degree of shared attitudes, values & complementarity of needs in order to assess closeness, 7mo later each completed another questionnaire to see how close they felt to their partner - compared to first questionnaire
- found that couples were divided into 2 groups:
- short term partners had been dating 18mo or less & found that similarity of attitudes & values was important for closeness
- long term couples dating 18mo or more relied on complementarity of needs as a predictor for closeness
Evaluation of filter theory
strengths
- key study support
- study support
- research support
weaknesses
- failure to replicate
- contradictory evidence
- temporal validity
Key study support
There is research support for filter theory provided by Kerchoff and Davis’s original study which showed that similarity is important in the early stages of a relationships whereas complementarity is more important in longer relationships.
Study support
Another study to support filter theory was conducted by Taylor (2010) who found that 85% of Americans who got married in 2008 had married someone from their own ethnic group, supporting the social demographic idea. Individuals seem to choose partners that were similar to them and had a similar background to them (ethnicity).
Research support
Furthermore, research conducted by Hoyle (1993) also supports the filter theory when looking at the importance of attitude similarity and sharing common values for attraction. Hoyle found that perceived attitude similarity can predict attraction more strongly than actual attitude similarity. Tidwell tested this hypothesis during a speed dating event whereby participants had to make quick decisions about attraction. He measured actual and perceived similarity of attitudes using a questionnaire and found that perceived similarity predicted romantic liking more than actual similarity.
Failure to replicate
Research conducted by Levinger (1970) has found that many studies have failed to replicate findings from Kerckhoff and Davis based on filter theory. Levinger conducted research using 330 couples and found no evidence that similarity of attitudes or complementarity of needs was important when looking at how permanent the relationship became over time. There was also an issue on deciding when a short term relationship becomes a long term relationship. Kerckhoff and Davis stated that at 18 months a relationship becomes long term, but this has been disputed
Contradictory evidence
Another weakness of Filter theory is that it has been criticised because it suggests that people are attracted to each other because they have similar demography and social characteristics.
Anderson (2003) contradicted filter theory and found from his longitudinal study of cohabiting partners that they became more similar in terms of their attitudes and emotional responses over time which increased attraction. At the start of the relationship, their attitudes were not so similar. This is called, “Emotional convergence.”
Temporal validity
Finally, research using online dating has shown a lack of support for filter theory in that it might not be an accurate way to see how relationships progress and form. The internet has meant that there is a reduction in social demographic variables when we meet someone, and it is now easier to meet people who live far away, or who have a different ethnicity, social class and background. We might meet people who are outside of our demographic limits, and this is very apparent now, compared to the past (30 years ago). Therefore filter theory may lack temporal validity.
