Daniella Cash, Laura Heisick, and Megan Papesh from Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in Baton Rouge, LA have published a research study about expectations and ASMR.
The study is titled aptly, “Expectancy effects in the ASMR” and was published August 22, 2018 in the journal PeerJ. Links to this paper and a follow up commentary paper are at the end of this article.
I’m often asked why only some individuals experience ASMR. The answer is that no one knows. Yet. The easiest answer could be that the response is dependent on a specific gene sequence – you either have it or you don’t.
But life is never that simple.
It is believed that experiencing ASMR is more likely to occur while being in a relaxing setting, having a calm mind, selecting a preferred trigger type and style, and even perhaps not being on specific drugs or medications which could interfere with ASMR.
What about the influence of life experiences, culture, or expectations? Particularly expectations. Expectations could be a part of the magic behind the placebo effect.
Could the placebo effect explain ASMR? Or what about vice versa? Maybe ASMR could explain the placebo affect in specific cases?
Visualize a clinician handing you a pill – that is a moment filled with personal attention, caring behaviors, a soft voice, and probably the light touch of their hand on yours, as well as, a reassuring hand on your back as you walk out of their office.
How about meeting with a therapist on a regular basis? A weekly dose of hyper-focused personal attention from a trained expert with a soft and steady voice – that is an ASMR recipe. If therapy sessions help you feel calmer, then is it the wisdom, the insights, the ASMR, or all of that which bring you serenity?
In this study, the authors investigated if expectations can affect ASMR – an important question indeed.
Beverley Fredborg, James Clark, and Stephen Smith have published another ASMR research study titled, “Mindfulness and ASMR.” The study was published August 7, 2018 in PeerJ.
This is the second ASMR research study published by Dr Agnieszka Janik McErlean (Bath Spa University, UK) and Dr Michael Banissy (Goldsmiths, University of London, UK).
Jack Stevenson-Smith completed his Masters degree 2 years ago in the School of Psychology at the The University of Liverpool, UK.
Vladimir Fedoseev is a graduate student pursuing his MBA at the Varna University of Management in Varna, Bulgaria (a partner university of Cardiff Metropolitan University in Wales).
I initially reported about this published study on 
Andrew Smith is an undergraduate student at the Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design at The University of Dundee, Scotland.
ASMR University 