ASMR

Published research study explores ASMR trigger preferences

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ASMR Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response UniversityI initially reported about this published study on November 1, 2017, but this article will now share more details and summarize the data.

The study is titled, “Sensory determinants of the autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR): understanding the triggers” and was published October 6, 2017 in PeerJ by Emma Barratt, Charles Spence, and Nick Davis.

Of historical note, Barratt and Davis were the co-authors of the first ASMR research study published in 2015.  In this new study they investigate some of the traits of ASMR triggers.

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Research publication reports association between ASMR and misophonia

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ASMR Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response UniversityRomke Rouw of the University of Amsterdam and Mercede Erfanian of Maastricht University, both located in The Netherlands, have published a research paper on misophonia.

The paper is titled, “A large-scale study of misophonia” and was published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology as an epub in May 2017 and then as a journal article in March 2018.

The research study focuses mostly on misophonia but it does contain some data about ASMR.

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Undergraduate student shares completed dissertation on ASMR, aesthetics, sensory perception, and sensory phenomena

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ASMR Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response UniversityAndrew Smith is an undergraduate student at the Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design at The University of Dundee, Scotland.

He focused his final year dissertation project on ASMR to fulfill the requirements for his Bachelor of Design degree (with Honors).

Andrew’s completed dissertation was 47 pages (~10,000 words), was titled, “An investigation into the interconnected nature of aesthetics, sensory perception and sensory phenomena” and weaved together the following topics:

  • ASMR
  • The Golden Rectangle (a shape linked to art, design, and architecture)
  • Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (a therapy for trauma patients)
  • Brain Wave States, Hypnosis, & REM, Sleep
  • Brain Default Mode Network & Synaesthesia
  • Interpersonal bonding
  • Senses, Sensory Processing Disorder, & Autism

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PhD student researching ASMR through the experiences of ASMR video viewers

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ASMR Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response UniversityHelle Breth Klausen is pursuing her Ph.D. from the Department of Media and Journalism studies at Aarhus University in Denmark.

For her PhD dissertation she will be characterizing ASMR through the experiences of ASMR video viewers.

In my interview with Helle she shares why she decided to study ASMR, her primary hypothesis and methods, preliminary results she acquired with her Master’s dissertation, and her plans to share the results from this project.

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College student creates mesmerizing animations for research project about synthetic ASMR triggers

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ASMR Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response UniversityMarcus Nystrand is an undergraduate student in the Visual Communications program at Beckmans College of Design in Stockholm, Sweden.

For his graduation project he decided to create videos with synthetic ASMR triggers and survey if they are able to stimulate ASMR in viewers.

What are “synthetic ASMR triggers?”  Marcus created computer-generated animations that have some properties of ASMR triggers (e.g., movements, sounds) but without the presence of human forms (e.g., hands) or human objects (e.g., brushes).

In short, his project is asking, “Can non-human motions, items, and sounds trigger ASMR?”

His animations are extremely high quality,  very imaginative, and deeply mesmerizing.  Will they trigger your ASMR?

Read on to learn a bit more about his project, then click the link to view his amazing videos and answer his short survey questions.

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New museum exhibit features ASMR videos

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ASMR Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response UniversityASMR videos will be one of several video genres featured in a new museum exhibit titled, “The New Genres: Video in the Internet Age.”

The exhibit is focusing on the following new video genres which have appeared over the last two decades: vlogs, Let’s Play videos, Unboxing videos, and ASMR videos.

Specific videos of each genre will be highlighted because they have been considered to be “significant, influential, and representational of these videos.”

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ASMR-inspired comedy coming to Philadelphia

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ASMR Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response UniversityThere has been an abundance of ASMR-inspired art forms including movies, web shows, street dancing, commercials, music, performance art, poetry, CGI animation, games, and fan fiction.

What about live comedy?

On Saturday April 6th, 2018 at 4:30 pm Rose Luardo and Shannon Fahey will present their ASMR inspired workshop, ASMRrrrRETREAT at Good Good Comedy Theatre (215 N.11th Street Philadelphia, PA).

Luardo & Fahey are Philadelphia-based comedians and artists and their live workshop is inspired by their mutual admiration for ASMR and ASMR artwork.

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High school student investigating the effect of ASMR videos on teen anxiety and depression

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ASMR Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response UniversityChristian S. is a junior high school student in New York.  He is enrolled in an Advanced Placement course and has decided to do a research project about ASMR.

His research question is: “To what extent does Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) impact the levels of anxiety and depression in teens?”

He has created a survey for teenagers to investigate the relationship between watching ASMR videos and mental health.

Christian created questions about ASMR and also incorporated standardized questions from the Becks Depression Inventory and the Becks Anxiety Inventory to help him compare his results to other published results.

His survey is anonymous, specific for teenagers, and will remain open for about the next week.

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