Slow and methodical hand movements are common to many ASMR videos.

The hands may be tapping on something, demonstrating something, unboxing something, or just gliding rhythmically in the air.

And those videos can be soooo captivating.  Why is that?

Is it the tapping?  Is it the demonstration?  Is it the item being unboxed?

Well, new research suggests that perhaps it is the hands that are grabbing your attention.

A group of mothers and their infants participated in the research.  The goal of the research was to find out about stimuli that helped the infants to learn the names of objects better.

In one part of the experiment, the mothers spoke the names of objects placed in front of their infants.  The scientists recorded how long it took the infants to learn the names of the objects.

In another part of the experiment, the mothers again spoke the names of some different objects, but now also gestured at the objects with their hands. The scientists again recorded how long it took the infants to learn the names of the objects.

The experiments showed that the infants learned the names of the objects better when the mothers gestured to them.

They also used eye-tracking and pupil-measuring technology to collect data about the where the attention of the infant was directed and how attentive the infants were.

The eye-tracking data showed them that the infants looked at the objects longer when the mothers gestured to them.  The pupil-measuring data showed them that the infants were in a more aroused state, meaning more attentive and interested in the object.

So overall, the mothers hands were influencing the infant to stare longer at the objects, find the objects more interesting, and therefore learn the names of the objects better.

Are the use of hands in ASMR videos increasing the captivation of viewers?  Research, similar to above, could be done to determine this.

What could be an advantage to knowing that the use of hands in ASMR videos increases attention and focus?  Yes, you guessed it.  Learning.

Some ASMR artists may already being doing this on purpose or by accident; creating ASMR videos with hand movements to enhance the learning of a new task or new information.

And this is where I refrain from making a bad “let’s give them a hand” pun.

Crikey, I guess I did anyway.

Click HERE to find out more about this research.

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This post brought to you by the ASMR University.  A site with the mission of increasing the awareness, understanding, and research of the Art and Science of Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response.