Filter Theory

• Filter theory 


  We choose romantic partners by using a series of filters that narrow down from the field of availables to the field of desirables
• what are the 3 filters?

  social demography

  similarity of attitudes

  complementarity
• social demography 


  we seek out people who are physically close to us so we can meet up often to find out more about each other
• Gruber-Baldini et al 


  Conducted a longitudinal study of 169 couples to investigate the role of social demography and found that couples are more likely to stay together if they were similar in age and education level
• similarity of attitudes 


  we view others as more attractive if we share the same beliefs and values
• complementarity 


  relationships are most successful if both partners meet each others‘ needs —> what the other person can do for us
• Kerckhoff & Davies (1962)

  Longitudinal study of 94 couples, they both answered 2 questionnaires at the start of the study and a 3rd one after 7 months.

  Short term relationships - similarity of attitudes was more important

  Long term relationships - complementarity was more important
• negative evaluations of filter theory

  kerckhoff & davies study has not been replicated - levinger et al failed to find the same findings

  tidwell et al suggested that perceived similarity is more important

  temporal validity - theory was devised in the 1960s and there have been many social changes since then

  cultural bias - research is from western, individualistic cultures and assumes free choice in relationships is universal