Lucas Simone is a junior at Willow Glen High School in San Jose, California.

For his AP Capstone Research Project, he chose to analyze the associations between gender and aspects of ASMR.

He surveyed over a hundred of his high school peers and collected data about  gender, stress, ASMR video viewing, ASMR feelings, ASMR frequency, and more.

Below are a summary of his methods, some of his data, and a link to his final AP Capstone Research Report.

Lucas recruited 122 students (71 females, 49 males, 2 non-binary; ages 14-18 years) from within his high school to participate in an ASMR Survey.   Participants  completed  consent forms and survey forms.  His project was overseen by his AP Research teacher, Scott Patterson, and  reviewed and approved by their local IRB, which was established under NIH guidelines.

The following are his survey questions and responses grouped by percent of 71 females and percent of 49 males who selected each option (the two non-binary participants were not included in the gender analysis).

Which best shows your stress level?

• I always feel stressed (21%F, 8%M)
• I often feel stressed (49%F, 21%M)
• I sometimes feel stressed (25%F, 50%M)
• I rarely feel stressed (4%F, 19%M)
• I never feel stressed (0%F, 2%M)
• Note: this data was not reported in his Final Report

Have you experienced ASMR? (tingling sensation in head, spine, etc.)

• Yes (41%F, 31%M)
• No (28%F, 39%M)
• Unsure (31%F, 31%M)

For what reasons have you watched ASMR videos?

• Because I enjoy them (26%F, 15%M)
• To cope with stress (8%F, 9%M)
• To help me fall asleep (8%F, 4%M)
• Because I heard about it online (25%F, 18%M)
• Because my friend recommended it to me (20%F, 7%M)
• I have never watched an ASMR video (14%F, 47%M)
• Note: this data was not reported in his Final Report

How often do you watch ASMR videos?

• Every day (3%F, 4%M)
• More than once a week (11%F, 2%M)
• Once a week (11%F, 6%M)
• More than once a month (4%F, 2%M)
• Once a month (9%F, 6%M)
• Rarely (38%F, 22%M)
• Never (24%F, 57%M)

Have you made an ASMR video?

• Yes, more than one (7%F, 4%M)
• Yes, only one (14%F, 2%M)
• No, but I plan to (1%F, 2%M)
• No, and I don’t plan to (78%F, 92%M)

Understanding of ASMR?

• I know a considerable amount (11%F, 10%M)
• I know some things (52%F, 43%M)
• I don’t know a lot (31%F, 22%M)
• I know nothing (6%F, 25%M)

Support of the ASMR community? (those who make and watch ASMR videos)

• Wholeheartedly support (18%F, 6%M)
• Support (38%F, 18%M)
• Indifferent (33%F, 47%M)
• Do not support (11%F, 29%M)

Summary

Lucas has demonstrated a marked gender bias related to ASMR in his population of adolescents.

Female participants were more likely to experience ASMR, watch ASMR videos, create ASMR videos, understand ASMR, and support the ASMR community.

Why might this be?  Lucas’s data highlights a potential reason.

Female participants were 3x more likely to “always feel stressed” and 2x more likely to “often feel stressed”, compared to male participants.  This increased likelihood of females being stressed compared to males is also reflected in large, published studies of adults in the U.S..

So female participants may be more likely to watch ASMR videos because they are more likely to experience stress.   Surprisingly, the female participants did not select “to cope with stress” as a major reason for watching ASMR videos, but rather they selected “because I enjoy them.”  It could be though that they are unaware that the enjoyment is driven by a reduction of their stress – but that is conjecture.

Overall, Lucas uncovered some interesting data about gender and ASMR.

Click to read the full details of Lucas’s ASMR research project:

• Lucas Simone – Exploring ASMR – Final report

Click the links below to learn more about ASMR research:

• Tips: How to be an ASMR researcher.
• Insight: Interviews with ASMR researchers.
• Browse: ASMR research and data.

Learn more about ASMR:

• Website: ASMR University
• Podcast: ASMR University Podcast
• Book: Brain Tingles

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