Filter theory

• Who proposed the Filter Theory?

  Kerckhoff & Davis

  
• What do people filter when seeking mates?

  Possible mates from eligible candidates
• What types of methods do people use in the filtering process?

  Different methods at different levels
• What are the initial variables in the filtering process?

  Social variables such as race or class
• What type of values do people consider after social variables?

  More individual and internal values
• What do we seek for social variables in relationships?

  Similarity
• What is more important for internal values in relationships?

  Complementary characteristics
• What are the key components of the Filter Theory?

  • Social variables (e.g., race, class)
  • Internal values (e.g., personality)
  • Similarity for social variables
  • Complementarity for internal values
• What is the law of attraction according to Byrne (1997)?

  Partners meet each other’s needs
• How do partners complement each other?

  By having traits that the other lacks
• Why is complementarity important in longer-term relationships?

  It creates a feeling of togetherness
• What are the stages of relationship formation according to the Filter Model?

  1. Initial meeting influenced by demographics
  2. Agreement on basic values for communication
  3. Development of closeness through shared values
• What did Kerckhoff and Davis's study measure?

  Similarity of attitudes/values and complementarity
• What was linked to relationship closeness in couples together less than 18 months?

  Similarity of values
• What becomes more important in longer relationships?

  Complementarity of needs
• What is a weakness of the Filter Theory regarding complementarity?

  It does not always predict satisfaction
• What did Markey and Markey (2013) find about long-term partners?

  They were more satisfied with equal dominance
• What matters more in real-world relationships according to Montoya et al.?

  Perceived similarity
• How does perceived similarity relate to attraction?

  It may be an effect of attraction
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of the Filter Theory?

  Strengths:

  • Support from Kerckhoff and Davis’s study
  • Links between similarity and relationship closeness

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Complementarity does not always predict satisfaction
  • Perceived similarity matters more than actual similarity