Filter theory

• Filter theory:

  • Suggesting that we chose romantic partners - Using a series of filters (Stages) narrowing down the 'filed of available' then we make our own choice
  • 3 main factors of how me make our choice
• Social Demography - 1st Level of filter:

  • Variables such age, class, religion, social background and geographical location
  • Reduce range of people we are to meet and interact with
  • People too far or old or in different social class
  • Anyone too different - filtered out
  • Homogamy - More likely to form a relationship with someone who is socially and culturally similar to yourself
• Similarity in attitudes - 2nd level of filter:

  • Peoples psychological characteristics specifically their agreement on attituded and basic value
  • Kerckhoff and Davis: Found that similarity in attitudes were of central importance at the start of the relationship and biggest predictor of the relationships being stable
  • Value and beliefs dramatically differ - Filtered out
  • Bryne: Similarity causes attraction
• Complementarity - 3rd level of filter:

  • People with different needs
  • Two partners complement each other - Fulfil each others needs
  • E.g. Relationship when one person loves laughing and other like to make people laugh - Complementary
  • More important in long term couples - Opposites attract
  • Complementarity - Attractive because it give two romantic partners the feeling the form a whole
• Evaluation of filter theory - Support from research evidence:

  • FT assumes key factors in relationship change over time - face validity as it agrees with most people experience with romantic relationships
  • Winch: Found evidence that similarities of personality, interests and attitudes between partners are typical or the earliest stages of a relationship
• Evaluation of filter theory - Direction of cause and effect:

  • FT suggests that people are initially attracted to each other because they are similar
  • Evidence that this direction of causality is wrong
  • Anderson: Longitudinal study - Cohabiting partners become more similar in emotional responses over time - Emotional convergence

  Limitation: Not found / predicted by the filter theory
• Evaluation of filter theory - Failure to replicate

  Levinger:

  • Social changes + Difficulties in defining depth in terms of length
  • Kerckhoff + Davis - Chose an 18 month cut of point between LTR and STR - Assumed partners together longer = More committed
  • Can't apply to heterosexual couples meaning homosexual ones too

  Limitation: Lack of validity in finding meaning low generalisability