The scientific facts behind the popularity of ASMR videos

A make-up brush spinning around a microphone, scissors gently cutting strings, someone whispering softly… Many enticing sounds may attract you when you search for ASMR videos. The ASMR phenomenon has been taking the internet by storm since 2010. So why do we like these sounds?

So, can ASMR videos make everyone happy?

The term ASMR, coined by Jennifer Allen in 2010, is an automatic emotional state that is triggered by certain stimuli and reaches a peak. The tingling that starts in the head and spreads along the spine relieves people after a while.

Psychologist Giulia Poerio from the University of Sussex said:ASMR creates a feeling similar to the chills some people experience when listening to music. However, while music-induced chills increase your heart rate, ASMR lowers a person’s heart rate and slows their breathing.” he said.

“ASMRtists” who whisper and tap their fingers into microphones are especially popular on YouTube. But in addition to auditory stimuli, tactile sensations, such as someone gently combing your hair, can also trigger ASMR, according to Poerio.

However, a whisper video or soothing touch alone is not enough to trigger ASMR. People need to feel calm and safe to experience this feeling. Physiologist Craig Richard from Shenandoah University in Virginia stated that ASMR creators manipulate this feeling.

Why ASMR videos make people feel relaxed

When you look at the most popular ASMR videos, you’ll see that most people act like they know you really well. Having someone who knows your brain and you and with whom you feel comfortable approaching you positively makes you feel relaxed.

In a 2018 study, scientists found that certain areas of the brain became more active when people experienced ASMR. When people feel relief or tingling while watching ASMR videos, the medial prefrontal cortex area of ​​the brain lights up.

This region implements many functions such as processing and directing social behavior. Gentle touches and caring interactions are one of the main ASMR topics. Oxytocin, a neurotransmitter and hormone associated with relaxation and social bonding, binds to receptors in the medial prefrontal cortex while watching videos and plays a role in the relaxation brought on by ASMR.

When study participants experienced brain tingles, the nucleus accumbens, another region of the brain that drives motivated behavior driven by reward and satisfaction, also lit up. They reasoned that although ASMR and music-induced chills don’t feel exactly the same, they might occur through a similar pathway.

ASMR may have a neural basis related to how the brain is formed and experiences experienced during early development. Some studies have found that people with certain personality traits, such as neuroticism or openness to new experiences, are more likely to experience ASMR.

However, for some people, they may not have found the right ASMR trigger yet. Richard notes that some people need to watch 100 ASMR videos to find the trigger that works for them. However, some people may never experience ASMR while watching a video, but something in the real world may trigger the feeling.