Matching hypothesis & Filter theory

Question 1

What is the matching hypothesis?

Answer 1

claims that when people look for a relationship they look for someone whose level of attractiveness matches their own

Question 2

Why do we look for a partner with a similar attractiveness?

Answer 2

we can maximise our chances of a successful outcome

perusing someone who is ‘more attractive’ increases risk of rejection

doesn’t make evolutionary sense as you wont have the opportunity to reproduce and pass on genes

Question 2

What is a strength of the matching hypothesis

Answer 2

supporting evidence from Murstein

Question 3

What are limitations of the matching hypothesis?

Answer 3

• doesn’t establish cause and effect (Murstein)
• there’s contradictory evidence
• cultural bias

Question 4

Evaluate supporting evidence from Murstein as a strength of the matching hypothesis

Answer 4

• supported by evidence
• photographed both partners in a relationship and they were scored by independent judges who didn’t know who was in a couple with who. Partners rate their and their partner’s attractiveness and both partners and judges rated a control group. It was found that couples received similar ratings that were more alike than the ratings of random couples.
• strength because this study supports the matching hypothesis because is shows that people form relationships with ppl whoa re equally attractive.

Question 5

Evaluate not establishing cause and effect as a limitation of Murstein’s study into the matching hypothesis

Answer 5

• doesn’t establish cause and effect
• Murstein’s research demonstrates a +ve correlation between couples’ ratings. The study suggests ppl form relationships with those equally attractive as them but it cant prove this is the only reason that a relationship is initiated
• limitation because people come to a relationship offering many desirable characteristics and physical attractiveness is only one of them. A person may compensate for a lack of attractiveness with other qualities such as harm money etc. This tendency to compensate is known as complex matching
  the matching hypothesis alone is too simplistic to explain attraction

Question 6

Evaluate contradictory evidence as a limitation of the matching hypothesis

Answer 6

• contradictory evidence
• Taylor et al studied a popular dating site and found that online daters sought meetings with potential partners who were more physically attractive than themselves, contradicting the matching hypothesis. There was no evidence that daters’ decision were driven by a similarity between their own and potential partners’ attractiveness but instead there was an overall preference for attractive partners
• the limitation as it suggests that people don’t take their physical attraction into account in the initial stages of attraction but aim for someone more desirable.
• weakens the validity of the theory

Question 7

Evaluate cultural bias as a limitation of the matching hypothesis

Answer 7

• cultural bias
• Matching looks may be more important in individualistic cultures where couples form the relationship voluntarily and the relationship can be temporary. In collectivist cultures where relationships can be arranged and are seen as permanent greater importance is placed on economic considerations and family alliances
• limitation because the matching hypothesis is better at explaining relationships in individualistic cultures not collectivist so it isn’t a universal theory

Question 8

What is the filter theory

Answer 8

a serious of factors progressively reduces the range of available romantic partners to a smaller pool of possibilities

Question 9

What are the filters in filter theory

Answer 9

• social demography
• similarity in attitudes
• complementarity of needs

Question 10

What is social demography?

Answer 10

factors that influence the chances of potential partners meeting in the first place
including: proximity, social class, ethnic grp, religion etc

• when we have more in common we find someone more attractive
• the benefit of proximity is accessibility

Question 11

Explain similarity in Attitudes

Answer 11

• involves psychological characteristics specifically their agreement on attitudes and basic values
• similarly in attitudes is the centre of importance in relationships under 18 months and the best predictor of whether the relationship wld be stable
• encourages deeper communication and promotes SD

Question 12

Explain complementary of needs

Answer 12

the ability of romantic partners to meet eachother needs. people with different needs like each other bc they provide each other with mutual satisfaction

• important bc it ensures your needs are likely to be met and gives partners
• needs are harmonious rather than conflicting

Question 13

What are the strengths of filter theory

Answer 13

• supporting evidence
• allows people to make predictions about future interactions

Question 14

What are limitations of filter theory?

Answer 14

• direction of causality may be wrong
• filters changed overtime

Question 15

Evaluate making predictions about a relationship as a strength of filter theory

Answer 15

• allows people to make predictions about their future interactions and avoid investing in a relationship that won’t work
• each person conducts a series of explorations disclosing bits of information about themselves and making enquires about the other. Bases on these exchanges partners may decide to continue with a relationship or stop
• strength because individuals may end a relationship before becoming too deeply involved thus preventing emotional suffering if they were to break up further down the line

Question 16

Evaluate direction of causality as a limitation of filter theory

Answer 16

• the direction of causality may be wrong
• A longitudinal study of married couples found that similarities of spouses in terms of intellectual abilities and attitudinal flexibility increased over a 14-year period. Cohabiting partners became more similar in their emotional responses over time (emotional convergence). There is an attitude alignment effect in longer-term relationships - people become more similar
• limitation because rather than already being alike partners overtime bring their attitudes online with each others. Suggests that similarity is an effect of attraction and not the cause, weakening the filter theory

Question 17

Evaluate how the role of filters has changed overtime as a limitation of filter theory

Answer 17

• the role of filters has changed over
• In terms of social demography online dating apps increase the field of available partners and location no longer limits partner choice. An individual may start messaging someone across the country because they like their dating profile, those who use dating apps may give more importance to physical attraction
• limitation as it suggests filter theory especially social demography is an outdated concept

Question 18

Evaluate research support as as strength of Filter theory

Answer 18

P: Supporting evidence from Kerckhoff and Davis

E: Carried out a longitudinal study of dating couples. Both partners in the dating couples completed questionnaires that assessed two main factors - similarity of
attitudes/values and complementarity of needs. Relationship ‘closeness’ was measured using another questionnaire seven months later. The study found that closeness was associated with similarity of values but only for the couples who had been together less than 18 months. For couples in longer relationships, complementarity of needs predicted
closeness.

E: Strength because it provides evidence that similarity of attitudes/values is important in the early stages of a relationship as outlined by filter theory and that complementarity is
important in long term couples as suggested by filter theory

L: Therefore, giving validity to filter theory as a factor affecting attraction.