factors affecting attraction - filter theory

• filter theory:

  • partners chosen by filters that narrow down field of availables - kerckhoff + davis suggested 3
  • limits available partners to smaller pool - factors assume greater/lesser importance at different stages
• first filter: socialdemographic

  • age, education, religion, social background
  • determines likelihood of people meeting, too different people discounted
• second filter: similarity in attitudes

  • agreements important at start of relationship + good predictor of stable relationship
  • presence/absence of attitudes determined through self disclosure - little in common, relationships rarely develop
• third filter: complementarity

  • people with different needs provide eachother with mutual satisfaction - needed for more long term relationships
  • at later stages, opposites attract to an extent
• EVALUATION: research support

  • key factors change over time - face validity, reflects most peoples experiences
  • winch - similarity important at beginning, complementarity long term impact
  • suggests sequence of filters is valid in real life
• EVALUATION: failure to replicate original findings

  • levenger - down to social change + difficulty in defining depth
  • kerckhoff + davis - set cut off point for short term (18 months), doesnt apply to all, some take longer/shorter to develop complementarity
  • experiences cant be explained, other factors involved
• EVALUATION: culture bias

  • individualist cultures - choice of partners is own preferences, apply filter theory with little influence
  • collectivist - arranged marriages, cant apply individual filters
  • suffers from culture bias, applies western findings to everywhere