Factors affecting attraction: Filter theory

• Filter theory (Kerchoff & Davis, 1962) suggests that we choose romantic partners by using a series of filters to narrow down potential partners from a large "field of availables" to a smaller "field of desirables." It proposes that different factors are important at different stages of a relationship.
• The three levels of filtering include:

  1. Social demography
  2. Similarity in attitudes
  3. Complementarity
• Social Demography is the first filter that refers to factors which influence the chance of potential partners meeting in the first place.
• Social Demography:

  • Refers to background factors that influence attraction, such as proximity, social class, education level, ethnicity, and religion.
  • We are more likely to form relationships with people who are geographically close and have similar backgrounds because these factors increase the chances of meeting and forming a bond.
  • This aligns with homogamy, which means that we tend to form relationships with people who are socially or culturally similar to us.
• Similarity in attitudes is the second filter and suggests that we find partners who share our basic values and beliefs attractive in the earlier stages of a relationship.
• Similarity in Attitudes:

  • This filter is important in the early stages of a relationship.
  • Kerckhoff and Davis (1962) found that similarity in attitudes was important to the development of romantic relationships but only for couples who had been together less than 18 months.
  • Similarity promotes communication and self-disclosure, which strengthens attraction.
• Complementarity is the third filter, and it suggests that similarity becomes less important as a relationship develops and is replaced by a need for your partner to balance your traits with opposite ones of their own.
• Complementarity:

  • This filter becomes more important in long-term relationships.
  • Rather than just being similar, partners need to complement each other’s needs (e.g., one partner may be more dominant while the other is more nurturing).
  • The idea is that opposites attract in the long run, as partners who complement each other’s strengths and weaknesses create a more fulfilling and balanced relationship.
• One strength of filter theory is that there is research support for the role of filtering in attraction. Kerckhoff and Davis (1962) conducted a longitudinal study of 94 dating couples and found that similarity in attitudes was the most important factor in short-term relationships, whereas complementarity was more important in long-term relationships. This supports the idea that different filters apply at different stages of relationships, increasing the validity of the theory.
• A limitation of filter theory is that it lacks temporal validity. In modern society, dating has changed significantly due to technology and online dating, which means that geographical proximity (social demography filter) is less important than it was in the past. People can now form relationships with individuals from different locations, social backgrounds, and cultures, which challenges the claim that we only form relationships with people who are demographically similar. This suggests that filter theory may not fully apply to modern relationships, reducing its relevance today.
• A weakness of filter theory is that it may suffer from cultural bias, as it was developed based on research conducted in Western, individualistic cultures. In these cultures, people have more choice in partners and are able to filter who they desire from the field of availables. Whereas in non-western, collectivist cultures, arranged marriages are more common, and family members influence relationships. So, individuals are unable to go through the filtering process described in the theory, meaning that filter theory does not apply cross-culturally due to its ethnocentricism.
• A limitation of filter theory is that it is based on correlational research, meaning that it cannot establish causation between similarity and attraction. Just because couples share similar attitudes and values does not mean that similarity caused the attraction — it could be that being in a relationship over time leads partners to develop similar views. This means that filter theory may lack explanatory power, as it does not clearly identify the cause-and-effect relationship between filtering and attraction.
• Byrne (1971) found that participants were more attracted to strangers who held similar attitudes and beliefs compared to those with dissimilar ones.

  • The greater the perceived similarity, the stronger the reported attraction.
  • This supports the similarity in attitudes filter, which suggests that people are drawn to others who share similar values, beliefs, etc.
• Anderson et al. (2003) found that similarity increases over time, suggesting that the similarity filter is not applied at the beginning of relationships and that complementarity is not necessarily a common feature of long-term relationships.
• Clark and Hatfield (1989) found that men were more likely to be attracted to physical characteristics rather than similar attitudes or values, suggesting that other factors besides similarity ​may be important in determining attraction, like physical attraction.