Filter theory

Question 1

What does the concept of filter theory suggest about attraction?

Answer 1

It is an explanation of the formation of a relationship. It states that a series of different factors progressively reduces the range of available romantic partners so a smaller pool of possibilities

Question 2

What are the three filters?

Answer 2

• Socio demographic > similarities in factors such as age, religion, location, ethnicity, etc. It relates to the potential partners and progresses through the relationship.
• Similarities in attitudes > having someone who shares the same basic values and attitudes, attraction grows in earlier stages of the relationship.
• Complementarity > similarities become less important as the relationship develops and it is replaced by a need to balance your traits with the ones your partner lacks, allowing the relationship to build.

Question 3

Filter theory research support: Kerckhoff and Davis’

Answer 3

• The researchers conducted a longitudinal study in which both partners in dating couples completed questionnaires to assess two main factors - similarity of attitudes/values and complementarity of needs. Relationship ‘closeness’ was measured by another questionnaire seven months later.
• The study found that closeness was associated with similarity of values but only for couples who had been together less than 18 months. For couples in longer relationships, complementarity of needs predicted closeness.
• This study provided evidence that similarity is important in the early stages of a relationship and complimentary is more important later on

Question 4

Filter theory problems with complementarity: Patrick Markey and Charlotte Markey (2013)

Answer 4

• One limitation is that complementarity may not be central to all longer-term relationships
• Filter theory claims that in the most satisfying relationships partners are complementary, for example one partner may have a need to be dominant and the other a need to be submissive.
• However, Patrick Markey and Charlotte Markey (2013) found that lesbian couples of equal dominance were the most satisfied. Their sample of couples had been romantically involved for a mean time of more than 4½ years.
• This suggests that similarity of needs rather than complementarity may be associated with long-term satisfaction,

Question 5

Filter theory importance of similarities: Matthew Montoya et al (2008)

Answer 5

• A limitation is that actual similarity matters less in a relationship than whether partners perceive or believe themselves to be similar.
  -This was supported in a meta-analysis of 313 studies by Matthew Montoya et al. (2008). They found that actual similarity affected attraction only in very short-term lab-based interactions. In real-world relationships, perceived similarity was a stronger predictor of attraction.
• One interpretation of this finding is that partners may perceive greater similarities as they become more attracted to each other.
• Therefore perceived similarity may be an effect of attraction and not
  a cause, which is not predicted by the filter model.

Question 6

Filter theory no replication: Levinger (1974)

Answer 6

• Levinger (1974) said many studies have failed to replicate the original findings of Kerckhoff and Davis.
• Due to social changes over time (e.g. dating patterns) and also to problems in defining the depth of a relationship in terms of its length.
• Kerckhoff and Davis chose an 18-month cut-off point to distinguish between short-term and long-term relationships.
• Assumed that partners who had been together longer than this were more committed and had a deeper relationship.
• This is a questionable assumption which means that filter theory is undermined by the lack of validity of its evidence base.