Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth

 

According to Steve Duck’s filtering theory of attraction, we use a series of filters to judge how close to others we want to become. These filters we use to regulate atraction are identified as: Sociological cues, Preinteraction cues, Interaction cues, and Cognitive cues.

The sociological cues  are the demographic factors that determine probability of contact. As both Miley and Liam co-starred alongside each other in the movie The Last Song, they maintained close contact for a constant period and saw each other almost everyday – on and off set. In the movie, both act as a couple and shared close proximity, thus increasing the nature and frequency of their interpersonal bonds, allowing their relationship to move on from just mere intitial attraction.

Preinteraction cues are the use of non-verbal impressions to determine whether they wish to interact with other, or in layman terms – first impressions. The spark was instantaneous when Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth first met each other at the casting of the movie The Last Song. According to her interview with Ellen Degeneres, Miley reveals that she was so smitten when she first met him and immediately told the director of the film to cast him as the male lead co-starring alongside her.

“I met him and he opened the door for me and I was like, ‘I have been in LA for three years and I don’t think any guy has actually opened the door for me.’” Miley said. “It wasn’t that he wanted the job. That’s just who he is… I was like, ‘Wow! That is super impressive!’ I actually turned to the director and said, ‘He’s got the job. He’s hot and he opened the door. Excellent.’ “

Nevertheless, interaction cues came into play after they started filming. Although, it started off not so well, as Miley put it “At one point the chemistry was kind of awkward… I liked him a little bit, he liked me a little bit, but it was awkward,” Miley explained. “Then I was like, ‘OK, just fake it. Please, just pretend you like me,’ and he was like, ‘I don’t have to pretend. I really do like you.’ ‘OK, you’re going to be my boyfriend? Cool.’ I was like, ‘Good.’” Onset, Miley and Liam interacted frequently, and gradually they became smooth and comfortable with each other, soon inseperable.

As Liam is Australian and Miley, American; differing attitudes, values and beliefs may arise and Cognitive cues come into play. Despite having great chemistry onset and being deeply attracted to each other, it was not until both parties had met each others families was their relationship considered deeply grounded. After ten months of dating, Liam Hemsworth decided to take things to the next step by bringing Miley down under to meet his parents. Liam commented “It was really cool to show Miley where I’m from and how I grew up, and it’s a completely different world to where she’s from.” By bringing Miley back to where he grew up from and introducing her to his family, Liam was practising disclosure and shared his own beliefs, attitudes and values with Miley, giving her a first-hand experience of his private life.

Miley also allows Liam to interact with her family. Her mother happens to be the producer of The Last Song and had a role to play in picking him out for the role. As reported, Miley is also glad that she was able to disclose herself to him naturally, and not have him judge her according to what the media depicts of her. “He really respects me for who I am because coming from Australia, he really didn’t know me as the celebrity I am here. I got to tell him about myself on my own terms and my own way. He had no preconceived notion of who I was supposed to be.”

Through this process of filtering theory, both Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth  did not eliminate each other at each filter, but instead broke through each barrier and proved that their intial attraction to each other was not just child’s play and progressed to develop an intimate relationship.