Autonomous sensory meridian response: Individual differences and consciousness correlates.

Abstract

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.

Unusual experiences and their association with metacognition: investigating ASMR and Tulpamancy

“…Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) is a "sensory phenomenon" where individuals experience a physical tingling sensation in their scalp and neck during exposure to specific audio or visual stimuli, or 'triggers'. ASMR triggers differ between individuals, however, research indicates that there are a number of 'types' of triggers, with stimuli involving whispering, personal attention, crisp sounds and slow, and careful movements being the most commonly reported to induce ASMR (Barratt & Davis, 2015;Roberts et al, 2020). ASMR can be experienced 'offline', in everyday life, but there has been a growth in dissemination and Cognitive Neuropsychiatry, Special Issue, Submitted Accepted consumption of videos that can trigger ASMR online (Barratt & Davis, 2015).…”

“…Although sensory input is related to this experience, it is not congruent with the physical output and evidence suggests that ASMR has been linked to synaesthesia; a sensory phenomenon in which one sensory pathway (e.g., taste) leads to an experience of a second sensory pathway (e.g., smell), suggesting ASMR is touch-emotion synaesthesia (Poerio, 2016). ASMR is often accompanied by a feeling of calmness and positive affect (Poerio et al, 2018) and is suggested to be a pleasant experience that is associated with absorption (McErlean & Osborne-Ford, 2020), the ability to focus one's attention on one entity or experience, but is not associated with trait mindfulness (Roberts et al, 2020), nor cultivated through practice. The differences in the appraisal of sensory experiences between the ASMR and Tulpamancer communities and clinical populations are perhaps then an important contributor to experience-related distress.…”

“…Findings also indicate that, even when combined, these unusual sensory experiences do not automatically put an individual at risk of delusion-proneness. The difference between Tulpamancers and ASMR may be that Tulpamancers meditate and self-generate the experience (Mikles & Laycock, 2015), whereas ASMR requires external input in the form of tactile, visual and auditory stimuli Cognitive Neuropsychiatry, Special Issue, Submitted Accepted to occur (Barratt & Davis, 2015;Roberts et al, 2020). To date, most ASMR research has focussed on people who initiate the experience using visual and auditory media.…”

The role of anomalous perception in Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response.

“…Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) is a pleasurable tingling sensation that, for many people, spreads across the scalp and down the back of the neck (Barratt & Davis, 2015). ASMR experiences can be relaxing and reliably produced by diverse triggers that typically are auditory, visual, or both (e.g., whispering, finger tapping), but can also be social (e.g., simulation of visit to dentist) in nature (Barratt et al, 2017; Fredborg et al, 2017; Roberts et al, 2021). Because ASMR creates a state of relaxation, triggers are sought by individuals to elicit the tingling, and studies have reported positive associations with mental health, such as increased subjective well-being (Del Campo & Kehle, 2016) and temporary reductions in self-reported depression and anxiety (e.g., Barratt & Davis, 2015).…”

“…Roberts et al (2019, 2021) characterized ASMR as an altered state of consciousness given its combination of perceptual, affective, and cognitive components. With respect to the latter, Barratt and Davis (2015) noted the enhanced state of focus associated with ASMR stimuli and experiences.…”