The term "autonomous sensory meridian response" (ASMR) is a neologism for a claimed biological phenomenon, characterized as a distinct, pleasurable tingling sensation often felt in the head, scalp or peripheral regions of the body in response to various visual, auditory and cognitive stimuli. The phenomenon was first noted through Internet culture such as blogs and online videos. Tom Stafford, a professor at the University of Sheffield, says "It might well be a real thing, but it's inherently difficult to research."^[1]

Origins of the term in popular culture[link]

According to a submission in Know Your Meme, the term ASMR was first used 25 February 2010 in the Facebook group Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response Group after being coined by Jennifer Allen (under the alias "Envelope Nomia" on Facebook), creator of the group, in response to a SteadyHealth forum posting of many people who were discussing the largely unknown sensation.^[2] Allen explains that "Autonomous" pertains to the idiosyncrasy involved with people who experience ASMR since the nature of the response varies from person to person, and the term "meridian" was used as a euphemism for orgasm.^[3]

Online discussions by groups such as one on Yahoo! called the Society of Sensationalists formed in 2008 or The Unnamed Feeling blog formed by Andrew MacMuiris in 2010 aimed to provide a community for learning more about the sensation by sharing ideas and personal experiences. Some alternative names for ASMR in relation to these discussion groups included Attention Induced Head Orgasm, Attention Induced Euphoria, and Attention Induced Observant Euphoria.^[3]

Other phrases to describe the sensation refer to it as a "brain orgasm," "brain massage," "head tingle," "head orgasm," "spine tingle," and "braingasm."^[4][5][6][7]

Media coverage[link]

A conference in the UK (Boring 2012) mentioned ASMR videos on their list for topics to be discussed. Coverage from this conference, as reported in Slate magazine, mentioned musician and journalist Rhodri Marsden introducing ASMR (alternatively called Auto-Sensory Meridian Response) by presenting the phenomenon as a type of non-sexual role-playing style of video on YouTube. ^[8][9] Articles in The Huffington Post suggest certain types of triggers for evoking ASMR.^[6][7] The articles mention pleasant tingling or buzzing sensations felt in the head and claim that certain triggers such as videos on YouTube or hearing people whispering stimulate the sensation. Other types of triggers may include goal-oriented tasks, soft-speaking, role-playing or music. ASMR was mentioned in a Kotaku article claiming the phenomenon is similar to binaural beats in that certain sensory triggers, including whispering, stimulate sensations of tingling and euphoria.^[10]

An article about the "chills" phenomenon induced by specific moments in a musical piece mentions distinctions made by users on the Reddit section for ASMR to distinguish the valence between ASMR and cold chill.^{[original research?]} A similar post in the British music magazine New Musical Express, or NME, mentioned distinctions between ASMR and frisson. It was noted that although both responses tend to evoke goose bumps in the observer, the emotional and physiological responses are different.^[11] Writer Sean T. Collins quoted Ohio State University professor David Huron, who teaches in the university's School of Music, claiming ASMR and cold chill are different,

"The [ASMR] effect is clearly strongly related to the perception of non-threat and altruistic attention," says Huron, who notes that there's a strong similarity to physical grooming in primates. "Non-human primates derive enormous pleasure (bordering on euphoria) when being groomed by a grooming partner." And, says Huron, they groom each other not to get clean, but rather to bond with each other.^[12]

ASMR has been the topic of video and radio newscasts. A live radio broadcast^{[clarification needed]} featured an interview with a man claiming to experience ASMR and included a discussion on the phenomenon and what triggered it for him; the term "head orgasm" was used throughout this broadcast. ^[13] A podcast in The McGill Daily mentions the high prevalence of ASMR videos on YouTube and features different people describing their personal experiences with the feeling.^[14] Both media discussions mention the issue of ASMR being categorized as a sexual response but claim that those who experience the phenomenon argue that ASMR is not associated with sexual arousal but instead is described as calming or relaxing.^{[original research?]}

Scientific reactions[link]

Steven Novella, Director of General Neurology at the Yale University School of Medicine and active contributor to topics involving scientific skepticism wrote in his online neuroscience blog about the lack of scientific investigation on ASMR, saying that functional magnetic resonance imaging and transcranial magnetic stimulation technologies should be used to study the brains of people who experience ASMR in relation to people who do not experience ASMR. Novella discusses the concept of neurodiversity and mentions how the complexity of the human brain is due to developmental behaviors across the evolutionary time scale. He also suggests the possibility of ASMR being a type of pleasurable seizure or another way to activate the pleasure response. ^[15]

Professor Tom Stafford, an expert in psychology and cognitive sciences from the University of Sheffield, was quoted in The Independent as saying

It might well be a real thing, but it's inherently difficult to research. The inner experience is the point of a lot of psychological investigation, but when you've got something like this that you can't see or feel, and it doesn't happen for everyone, it falls into a blind spot. It's like synaesthesia – for years it was a myth, then in the 1990s people came up with a reliable way of measuring it.^[1]

Common Triggers[link]

According to the ASMR Research & Support^[16] group, there are two types of ASMR. Type A is described as an ASMR experience that wasn't brought on by external stimuli, but was brought on by a unique thought pattern of the individual. Type B is when the individual experiences the phenomenon as a result of external stimuli. It is reported that both types are common among those who claim to enjoy ASMR. A list of external triggers follows:

• Exposure to slow, accented, or unique speech patterns
• Viewing educational or instructive videos or lectures
• Experiencing a high empathetic or sympathetic reaction to an event
• Enjoying a piece of art or music
• Watching another person complete a task, often in a diligent, attentive manner - examples would be filling out a form, writing a check, going through a purse or bag, inspecting an item closely, etc.
• Close, personal attention from another person
• Haircuts, or other touch from another on head or back

See also[link]

• Stimulus modality

References[link]

External links[link]

• SootheTube – an ASMR blog
• ASMR Research & Supportes:ASMR