FACTORS AFFECTING ATTRACTION - filter theory

what is the filter theory?

explanation of relationship formation

narrowing down a field of potentials into a field of desirables

kerckhoff and davis say we apply filters to narrow our range of partners

three filters

social demography

similarity in attitude

complementarity

social demography

we are more likely to form a relationship with someone who comes from a similar geographical location, social class, religion, education, ethnic group

homogamy (link to social demography)

the first filter leads to homogamy where people of similar backgrounds and cultures form relationships

similarity in attitude

people tend to find others attractive if they share the same core beliefs and values. i.e views on careers and families.

law of attraction (byrne)

similarity in attitudes is especially important in the early days of a relationship. agreeing on basic values encourages deeper communication and more meaningful self disclosure

complementarity

refers to the ability of partners being able to meet each other’s needs, especially emotionally. for example, one partner may prefer to nurture whereas the other prefers to be nurtured.

at this late stage in the relationship, “opposites attract”

encourages attraction because it gives couples the sense that together they form a whole, adding depth and making it more likely to succeed

STRENGTH - research support 

E - kerckhoff and davis performed a longitudinal study where couples completed questionnaires about two main factors: similarity in attitude and complementarity of needs, closeness was measured in a questionnaire seven months later

E - closeness was associated with similarity of values but only for couples who had been together for less than 18 months. for couples in longer relationships, complementarity predicted closeness'

L - this suggests that we go through each filter as the relationship progresses and supports the idea that similarity of attitude is important at the start and complementarity is important later on.

counter argument for research support 

P - levinger points out that many studies have failed to replicate kerckhofff and davis’s findings

E - he attributed this to social changes in dating due to the emergence of online dating and dating apps, where the sociodemographic filters such as geographic location arent as relevant as before. Levinger also highlights the problem with assuming the length of a relationship equates to its depth.

L - this is a questionable assumption which means that the filter theory is undermined by the lack of validity of its evidence

limitation of the filter theory

P - complementarity may not be central to all long term relationships

E - a prediction of the filter theory is that in satisfying relationships, partners are complementary. for example, one may be dominant and the other submissive.

E - however, markey and markey found that lesbian couples of equal dominance were the most satisfied. their sample of couples had been in an relationship for an average of 4.5 years