relationships - filter theory

Question 1

what is the filter theory?

Answer 1

this theory explains how relationships are formed and developed, it suggests that there are several important criteria people use to choose a partner.

Question 2

kerschoff and davis (1962)

Answer 2

compared the attitudes and personalities of student couples in short-term (less than 18 months) and long-term relationships. then a devised the filter theory to explain how such relationships form and develop, we have a field of available and field of desirables.

Question 3

what is field of available?

Answer 3

the entire set of potential romantic partners so all the people we could realistically form a relationship with, but not everyone who is available is desirable.

Question 4

what is field of desirables?

Answer 4

there are 3 main factors that act as a filter to narrow down our range of partner choice to field of desirables. each factors has greater/ lesser important at different stages of the relationship.

Question 5

what is social demography?

Answer 5

factors influencing the likelihood of partners meeting in the first place, they include proximity, social class, education level, occupation, religion and ethnicity.

Question 6

what is similarity in attitudes?

Answer 6

kerschoff and davis found that similarity in attitudes seemed important.

Question 7

donn byrne (1997)

Answer 7

found that being similar in attitudes is attractive (law of attraction), especially in earlier stages of the relationship, it can lead to greater feelings of intimacy on a couple.

Question 8

what is complementarity?

Answer 8

this is the ability to meet each other’s need and when one characteristic of one partner is complemented by the other.