9.1.11

Factors Affecting Attraction: Filter Theory 2

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Filter Theory - Partner's Attitudes

The second level of the filter concerns similarity in partner's attitudes.

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Kerchhoff and Davis (1962)

  • Kerchhoff and Davis (1962) found that similar attitudes were important to the development of romantic relationships, but only for couples who had been together fewer than 18 months.
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Kerchhoff and Davis (1962) cont.

  • Partners in the earlier stages of a relationship need to agree on basic values.
  • This encourages greater and deeper communication and promotes self disclosure.
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Byrne (1997)

  • Byrne (1997) found that most people found having similar attitudes attractive at the beginning of a relationship.
  • He concluded that similarity causes attraction, and that the relationship is less likely to last if this similarity doesn’t exist.

Filter Theory: Complementarity

The third level of the filter is complementarity. This is the ability of partners to meet each other’s needs.

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Attractiveness of complementarity

  • Complementarity happens when one partner has traits that the other one lacks.
    • For example, one partner being more dominant or confident in the relationship than the other.
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Complementarity

  • Complementarity is attractive because it creates the feeling that together, the two people forms a whole. This adds depth to the relationship, making it more likely to flourish.
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Kerchhoff and Davis (1962)

  • Kerchhoff and Davis (1962) found that the need for complementarity was more important for long-term couples.
  • In other words, opposites attract, but only in the later stages of a relationship.

Jump to other topics

1Social Influence

2Memory

3Attachment

4Psychopathology

5Approaches in Psychology

6Biopsychology

7Research Methods

8Issues & Debates in Psychology (A2 only)

9Option 1: Relationships (A2 only)

10Option 1: Gender (A2 only)

11Option 1: Cognition & Development (A2 only)

12Option 2: Schizophrenia (A2 only)

13Option 2: Eating Behaviour (A2 only)

14Option 2: Stress (A2 only)

15Option 3: Aggression (A2 only)

16Option 3: Forensic Psychology (A2 only)

17Option 3: Addiction (A2 only)

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