Altered states of consciousness refer to qualitative shifts in an individual's overall pattern of mental functioning. This article presents the 3-part development and validation of a multidimensional self-report measure of autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR). ASMR is an intensely pleasurable, head-orientated tingling sensation that typically occurs in response to specific, audiovisual triggers, producing feelings of comfort, relaxation and euphoria. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, conducting a content analysis on 303 accounts of ASMR, to derive a comprehensive self-report measure. Exploratory (n ϭ 453; n ϭ 448) and confirmatory analyses (n ϭ 448) were utilized to determine the underlying factor structure of the ASMR measure and replicability of findings across assessment applications. Convergent and divergent validity were assessed through comparisons with other, established alterations of consciousness, including frisson, absorption, alexithymia, flow, misophonia and anxiety. The resultant ASMR-15 demonstrated sufficient internal consistency (␣ ϭ .78) and validity as a measure of ASMR propensity, and may be useful to researchers interested in further exploring and disentangling ASMR from other alterations of consciousness.
Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is a multidimensional sensoryaffective experience typically described as a head-oriented tingling sensation that occurs upon exposure to specific audiovisual triggers. Previous work using a 15-item multidimensional measure of ASMR propensity (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response Scale [ASMR-15]), with sensory, affective, relaxation, and altered consciousness subscales, established the relationships between openness, absorption, and ASMR. However, the altered consciousness dimension of ASMR experiences remains relatively unexplored. As a result, this article explores the relationships between ASMR and a number of constructs associated with alterations in consciousness. Additional aims of the study were to assess the replicability of the established four factor structure of the modified ASMR-15, when administered to online interest group samples, and to explore the relationships between common ASMR trigger preferences and dimensions of ASMR propensity. To achieve this, the ASMR-15 was administered to participants from Facebook (n ϭ 201) and Reddit (n ϭ 256) ASMR interest groups, alongside measures of transliminality (Revised Transliminality Scale), unusual experiences (Unusual Experiences subscale), mindfulness (Mindful Attention and Awareness Scale), and body consciousness (Private Body Consciousness subscale). Additional items assessed participants' stimulus preferences from a list of common ASMR triggers, with an opportunity for the nomination of additional triggers, via free response. Through quantitative analyses, and categorization of qualitative responses, significant variation in preferences was observed across the sample. Correlational analyses indicated convergence between ASMR, transliminality, body consciousness, and unusual experiences, and divergence between the ASMR-15 and mindfulness scores. These findings open new avenues of ASMR exploration in relation to consciousness, specifically whether ASMR may be an altered state experience facilitated by thinner psychological boundaries.
Scientific psychology involves both identifying and classifying phenomena of interest (description) and revealing the causes and mechanisms that contribute towards these phenomena arising (explanation). Within personality psychology, some propose that aspects of behavior and cognition can be explained with reference to personality traits. However, certain conceptual and logical issues cast doubt upon the adequacy of traits as coherent explanatory constructs. This paper discusses “explanation” in psychology and the problems of circularity and reification. An analysis of relations and intrinsic properties is then developed to address the logical requirements necessary for circumventing these problems. An examination of McCrae and Costa's defense of traits as explanatory constructs, in terms of “tendencies” and “dispositions” highlights logical issues that prevent traits, so defined, from explaining trait-like behaviors and cognitions. The logical requirements for a coherent trait-explanatory account are outlined and possible explanatory directions in trait-approaches are discussed. The ongoing tendency towards fallacious reasoning in psychology and suggestions for preventing this are further examined.
This paper addresses the relationship between the ego, id, and internal objects. While ego psychology views the ego as autonomous of the drives, a less well-known alternative position views the ego as constituted by the drives. Based on Freud’s ego-instinct account, this position has developed into a school of thought which postulates that the drives act as knowers. Given that there are multiple drives, this position proposes that personality is constituted by multiple knowers. Following on from Freud, the ego is viewed as a composite sub-set of the instinctual drives (ego-drives), whereas those drives cut off from expression form the id. The nature of the “self” is developed in terms of identification and the possibility of multiple personalities is also established. This account is then extended to object-relations and the explanatory value of the ego-drive account is discussed in terms of the addressing the nature of ego-structures and the dynamic nature of internal objects. Finally, the impact of psychological conflict and the significance of repression for understanding the nature of splits within the psyche are also discussed.
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