Relationships- Factors affecting attraction: Filter theory Flashcards
Filter theory -
An explanation of relationship formation. It states that a series of different factors progressively limits the range of available romantic partners to a much smaller pool of possibilities. The filters include social demography, similarity in attitudes and complementarity.
Social demography -
Demographics are features that describe populations; social demographics include geographical location and social class. Such factors filter out a large number of available partners. This means many relationships are formed between partners who share social demographic characteristics.
Similarity in attitudes -
We find partners who share our basic values attractive in the earlier stages of a relationship, so we tend to discount available individuals who differ markedly from us in their attitudes.
Complementarity -
Similarity becomes less important as a relationship develops, and is replaced by a need for your partner to balance your traits with opposite ones of their own.
What is filter theory in relationships?
Filter theory, proposed by Kerckhoff and Davis (1962), explains how romantic relationships form and develop through a series of filters that narrow down potential partners from a “field of availables” to a “field of desirables.” These filters include social demography, similarity in attitudes, and complementarity.
What is the first level of filter in filter theory?
The first level of filter is social demography, which includes factors like geographical location, social class, education level, ethnicity, and religion. These factors influence the likelihood of potential partners meeting and forming relationships, leading to homogamy (partnering with someone socially or culturally similar).
What is the second level of filter in filter theory?
The second level of filter is similarity in attitudes. Partners in the early stages of a relationship (less than 18 months) are more likely to share important beliefs and values, which encourages deeper communication and self-disclosure. This similarity is attractive and helps relationships develop.
What is the third level of filter in filter theory?
The third level of filter is complementarity, which refers to partners having traits that meet each other’s needs. For example, one partner may enjoy making the other laugh, while the other enjoys being made to laugh. Complementarity becomes more important in long-term relationships, as it adds depth and strengthens the bond.
What did Kerckhoff and Davis (1962) find about similarity in attitudes?
Kerckhoff and Davis found that similarity in attitudes was important for couples in relationships lasting less than 18 months. This similarity helps partners agree on basic values and promotes deeper communication and self-disclosure.
What did Kerckhoff and Davis (1962) find about complementarity?
Kerckhoff and Davis found that complementarity was more important for long-term couples. Partners with complementary traits, such as one being dominant and the other nurturing, feel that they form a whole together, which strengthens the relationship.
What is homogamy in filter theory?
Homogamy refers to the tendency to form relationships with people who are socially or culturally similar, such as sharing the same ethnicity, religion, or educational level. This is a result of the first filter (social demography) narrowing down potential partners.
What did Peter Winch (1958) find about similarity and complementarity?
Winch found that similarity in personality, interests, and attitudes is typical in the early stages of a relationship, while complementarity of needs becomes more important in longer-term relationships, such as marriages.
What is a limitation of filter theory regarding replication?
Many studies have failed to replicate Kerckhoff and Davis’s original findings, partly due to social changes over time and the difficulty of defining relationship depth based on length (e.g., the 18-month cutoff). This limits the theory’s applicability to different cultures and relationship types.
What did Anderson et al. (2003) find about emotional convergence?
Anderson et al. found that cohabiting partners became more similar in their emotional responses over time, a phenomenon called emotional convergence. This suggests that similarity is an effect of being in a relationship, not a cause of initial attraction.
What did Davis and Rusbult (2001) find about attitude alignment?
Davis and Rusbult found that partners in longer-term relationships align their attitudes over time, further supporting the idea that similarity is a result of being in a relationship rather than a cause of initial attraction.
How has online dating affected filter theory?
Online dating has reduced the importance of social demographic factors, as technology makes it easier to meet potential partners outside traditional demographic limits (e.g., different cultures or social classes). This challenges the relevance of filter theory in modern dating contexts.
What did Gruber-Baldini et al. (1995) find about similarity in long-term relationships?
Gruber-Baldini et al. found that similarities between spouses in intellectual abilities and attitudinal flexibility increased over a 14-year period, challenging the idea that complementarity becomes more important than similarity in long-term relationships.
What is the direction of cause and effect issue in filter theory?
Filter theory assumes that similarity causes attraction, but research shows that similarity can also be an effect of being in a relationship (e.g., emotional convergence and attitude alignment). This challenges the theory’s causal assumptions.
Does filter theory have temporal validity in modern dating?
The rise of online dating has reduced the importance of social demographic filters, making filter theory less applicable to modern dating patterns. This lack of temporal validity suggests the theory may need updating to reflect current relationship formation processes.
How has online dating affected filter theory?
Online dating has reduced the importance of social demographic factors, as technology makes it easier to meet potential partners outside traditional demographic limits (e.g., different cultures or social classes). This challenges the relevance of filter theory in modern dating contexts.
What did Gruber-Baldini et al. (1995) find about similarity in long-term relationships?
Gruber-Baldini et al. found that similarities between spouses in intellectual abilities and attitudinal flexibility increased over a 14-year period, challenging the idea that complementarity becomes more important than similarity in long-term relationships.
What is the direction of cause and effect issue in filter theory?
Filter theory assumes that similarity causes attraction, but research shows that similarity can also be an effect of being in a relationship (e.g., emotional convergence and attitude alignment). This challenges the theory’s causal assumptions.
Does filter theory have temporal validity in modern dating?
The rise of online dating has reduced the importance of social demographic filters, making filter theory less applicable to modern dating patterns. This lack of temporal validity suggests the theory may need updating to reflect current relationship formation processes.
