Buzz
In the clip below, a young woman handles a brown leather wallet, rubbing it between her palms and giving it a shake. The zipper pull rattles softly as it moves along the teeth, creating a high-pitched sound. The aim of these actions is to induce the feeling of "tingles" in the viewer.
This sensation is known as ASMR, or autonomous sensory meridian response. It’s often described as a tingling, electrostatic feeling that spreads across the scalp and the back of the neck, occasionally extending to other parts of the body. ASMR is triggered by specific stimuli—mostly sounds and visuals, though touch can sometimes be involved. Over recent years, videos like the one above have gained significant popularity on YouTube, along with thriving communities on
and other social platforms, where users produce videos, exchange trigger ideas, and connect over these strange sensations. Some of these communities boast more than 100,000 members [
]. However, while hundreds of thousands of individuals report experiencing ASMR, scientific research into the phenomenon is still in its infancy. Here's what we have discovered so far.
1. THE TERM ASMR IS LESS THAN A DECADE OLD.
The term was introduced by Jennifer Allen, the founder of the first ASMR-focused Facebook group, in 2010. According to Vice
reported
in 2012:
“Autonomous” describes the “personal nature of the triggers, and the ability of many to provoke or fully create the sensation at will,” Jenn explained to me in an email. “Sensory” and “response” are quite straightforward, and “meridian,” Jenn added, is a more refined term for “orgasm.”
She went on to
clarified
in 2016, "I wanted to find a term that would
replace
the word 'orgasm,' and referred to the dictionary definition, which included the noun form, 'a point or period of highest development, greatest prosperity, or the like.'" Allen isn't a scientist—she's a cybersecurity professional who has played a key role in shaping online ASMR communities over the past ten years, and is also the founder of
ASMR University
. Other terms that people use to describe ASMR include “head tingles,” “brain tingles,” and “brain orgasm.” The sensation is described as enjoyable, non-sexual, and accompanied by a sense of calm and well-being. “One of my favorite ways to explain it,” said one well-known "ASMRist"
says
, “is when you experience that unpleasant, grating sensation of nails scraping across a chalkboard—ASMR is the complete opposite."
2. ASMR COMES WITH A VARIETY OF TRIGGERS.
ASMR triggers appear to be as diverse as the people who experience "the tingles," but some common themes emerge. Gentle, soothing whispers, slow hand gestures, and sounds created by objects are frequent triggers. A recent
study
found that sounds played a more significant role in triggering an ASMR response than visuals, though not just any sounds—background music, for example, hindered many viewers from experiencing the tingling sensation.
Many ASMR videos focus on handling objects in a slow, deliberate manner. Popular activities include leisurely folding towels, opening letters, or organizing baseball cards. Themes of personal care and attention are also prevalent: Some of the most popular ASMR videos involve role-playing scenarios where the host simulates actions like giving a haircut, providing a beauty treatment, or performing a health checkup for the viewer.
3. PEOPLE DON'T NEED VIDEOS TO EXPERIENCE THE TINGLES.
The sensation isn't confined to video watching, however. "Soft voices are a strong trigger for people with ASMR, as is whispering or any kind of socially intimate—not sexually intimate—interactions,"
says
Beverly Fredborg, the author of two significant studies on ASMR at the University of Winnipeg, notes that many people experience the tingles for the first time in real life while receiving care from a compassionate and attentive person, or during a manicure or foot massage: "They'll feel warm, calm, and at peace while they experience these stimuli." The
Whisperlodge
spa, located in New York City, offers “an immersive sensory journey of live ASMR,” where clients are gently touched with brushes or soft steam, and relax as whispers are spoken in their ears. Sensitivity to ASMR varies among individuals, with the least sensitive only experiencing it when physically cared for, while the most sensitive can feel the tingles just from audio and visual triggers alone.
4. PEOPLE WHO EXPERIENCE ASMR MAY BE MORE OPEN TO NEW EXPERIENCES …
The exact proportion of the general population that experiences what researchers refer to as "ASMR-capable" individuals is still unclear, but recent studies have begun to reveal intriguing insights about those who are. A 2017
study
discovered that people who reported experiencing ASMR scored higher in openness-to-experience and neuroticism on the "big five" personality traits test (a widely used measure in psychology) compared to those who do not, and the more they scored, the stronger their ASMR reactions were.
5. … AND THEIR BRAINS MAY BE WIRED DIFFERENTLY.
A different 2017
study
utilized fMRI to scan the brains of 11 ASMR-sensitive participants and 11 non-ASMR-sensitive controls. The study revealed that those with ASMR exhibited reduced functional connectivity between the frontal lobes—the area responsible for complex thinking—and the brain's sensory regions. However, they showed
greater
connectivity in certain cortical regions involved in executive control (goal-directed behavior reliant on cognitive functions like working memory) and resting-state networks (the brain areas that stay active by default when we're not focused on a specific task). The researchers proposed that this "blending" of neural circuits might contribute to the sensations experienced during ASMR.
6. IF CERTAIN SOUNDS IRRITATE YOU, YOU MAY HAVE ASMR.
Mouth noises, such as clicking, kissing, and eating, are some of the most controversial ASMR triggers: While they can provoke strong ASMR sensations in some individuals, they can also elicit intense discomfort in others.
negative response
in others. Some researchers have suggested that ASMR and
misophonia
, a condition where certain sounds trigger anger and repulsion, might represent two extremes on the same sensory spectrum. A 2018
study
discovered that 50 percent of individuals with misophonia also experience ASMR.
7. ASMR IS DISTINCT FROM THE CHILLS SOME PEOPLE GET WHEN LISTENING TO MUSIC ...
It shares certain features with
frisson
(the shivers some individuals feel when listening to exceptional music) and
flow
(the deep immersion and altered sense of time one experiences when engaged in an activity). It also shares similarities with
synesthesia
(a condition where stimulation in one sensory channel causes a perception in another, like hearing shapes or tasting colors). However, there are key distinctions. For instance, while ASMR tingles arise from calming experiences, frisson typically occurs during the enjoyment of exciting, exhilarating music. As Frebourg points out, frisson often surges through the entire body for brief moments, whereas ASMR is concentrated in the head and neck and can persist for 30 minutes or more.
8. … AND GROWING EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT IT IS A DISTINCT PHENOMENON.
Due to its links with other sensory experiences, ASMR has not been widely accepted as a distinct phenomenon in scientific circles, but that is now beginning to change. A 2018
study
discovered that ASMR enhanced pleasurable sensations (like tingles) in those who experienced it and lowered their heart rate. On the other hand, frisson is known to increase heart rates.
9. ADVERTISERS ARE EYEING ASMR TO PROMOTE THEIR PRODUCTS …
The phenomenon of ASMR has attracted the interest of various food and beverage brands.
advertisers
who are starting to utilize recording and mixing technologies to amplify sounds—like the rustling of packages or even the noisy chewing of an actor—that would typically be edited out of commercials. In 2016, KFC launched a
video
featuring actor George Hamilton, dressed as Colonel Sanders, who folded handkerchiefs into pocket squares while noisily munching on fried chicken, hitting two ASMR triggers at once. The brand's chief marketing officer, Kevin Hochman, shared with the
Washington Post
This is a community that is completely captivated and excited by the sensory experience of sound. ... To me, it makes perfect sense why we would attempt to engage with this space, even in a small way. ASMR brings a lot of comfort, and that's exactly what our food provides.
10. … AND ARTISTS ARE USING IT TO HEIGHTEN YOUR RESPONSE.
ASMR could enhance the moviegoing experience. In the 2017 film
Battle of the Sexes
directors Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton crafted one of the scenes, set in a hair salon, to
stimulate ASMR
“Creators design videos specifically to provoke this response,” Dayton shared with
Fast Company
“and we were curious, ‘Could we trigger that reaction in a theater filled with viewers?'” (Anecdotal
reports
suggesting it was effective.) Some ASMR creators have begun exploring the use of tingles in erotic content, while others are blending traditional triggers with
horror
and gory themes to provoke even more intense shivers down viewers’ spines. "There’s definitely a group of video makers diving into more peculiar and experimental territories," said ASMR horror sensation
Phoenician Sailor
in a 2016
Motherboard
interview. "I really enjoy seeing people experiment with the more outlandish ideas. After all, there's only so much you can do tapping on a piece of plastic.”
11. BOB ROSS REMAINS A TOP ASMR ICON.
The entire atmosphere of
The Joy of Painting
The host's renowned characteristics—his soothing voice, calm movements, gentle demeanor, and the
tap-tap-tap
sounds he created while painting his signature 'happy little trees'—have earned him the status of a
natural ASMR star
. Recently, a Reddit user commented
It was observed
, the 19th most viewed
announcement
on the Reddit ASMR channel comes from 2016, stating that Bob Ross videos would be streamed live for nine consecutive days.
