RS- Filter Theory

Question 1

What is the filter theory?

Answer 1

• Kerckhoff and Davies (1962) proposed a theory of how romantic relationships form.
• There are factors which narrow down the ‘field of availables’ (everyone who potentially could form a relationship with a person), which are of differing levels of importance.

Question 2

What is social demography?

Answer 2

• These are factors influencing the likelihood of partners meeting in the first place.
• They include proximity (how close the people are to each other geographically), social class, education level, occupation, religion, ethnicity, and so on.
• This leads to ‘homogamy’- forming a relationship with someone similar to someone else, socially and culturally.
• Having shared experiences and backgrounds is attractive to potential partners

Question 3

What is similarity in attitudes?

Answer 3

• This filter is based on psychological characteristics and looks at whether people have the same attitudes, beliefs and values.
• Similarity in attitudes and values are of central importance at the start of the romantic relationship and can help predicted stability, especially if the relationship has last 18 months or less.
• Through self-disclosure, individuals weigh up the decisions about whether to continue or end the relationship based on this filter.

Question 4

What is complementarity of needs?

Answer 4

• This filter is based on emotional characteristics.
• People who have different needs in a relationship and more attraction might occur if the two people have different needs that complement each other, e.g. one person needs to be cared for, and the other person wants to care for someone.
• Both partners might like each other because they have mutual satisfaction and opposing needs that have been met.
• Research has found that needs should be complementary and not similar in order for the relationship to work and be successful, for instance if one person is dominant, the other person should be laid back and might need their partner to tell them what to do sometimes.

Question 5

Evaluate the filter theory. (ADVANTAGES)

Answer 5

1) Winch (1958) found that similarity of interests, attitudes and personality are typical of the early stages of a relationship, and that complementarity of needs was more important than physical attractiveness.
- This lends support to filter theory.

2) Research conducted by Taylor (2010) found evidence to support the filter theory.
- He found that 85% of Americans who got married in 2008 had married someone from their own ethnic group, supporting the social demographic idea.
- Individuals seem to choose partners that were similar to them and had a similar background to them (ethnicity). (+)

Question 6

Evaluate the filter theory. (DISADVANTAGES)

Answer 6

1) There is some evidence that people who spend lots of time together (not just romantic partners) become more similar in beliefs and attitudes over time.
- This suggests that being in a relationship may cause the similarity between partners, rather than being the cause of the relationship in the first place, so weakening filter theory.

2) Research conducted by Levinger (1970) has found that many studies have failed to replicate findings from Kerckhoff and Davis based on filter theory.
- Levinger conducted research using 330 couples and found no evidence that similarity of attitudes or complementarity of needs was important when looking at how permanent the relationship became over time.
- There was also an issue on deciding when a short term relationship becomes a long term relationship.
- Kerckhoff and Davis stated that at 18 months a relationship becomes long term, but this has been disputed