
ASMR: The videos which claim to make their viewers 'tingle' - otoolep
http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-30412358
======
beaner
If you had told me that ASMR was a real thing five years ago, I probably would
not have understood, and thought it was a bunch of baloney.

About a year ago, gross as it is, I noticed I actually kind of enjoyed the
sound of one of my coworkers chewing with their mouth open. Then somebody came
in with a big mechanical keyboard several months later and started clonking
away, and I enjoyed that, too. The unevenness of the clicks and clacks make
little patters and pops in my head that are like tiny little itch bubbles that
are scratchpopped the same moment they blip into existence.

These are sounds I used to find extremely annoying and I don't know why it
changed. But when I started looking up mechanical keyboard sounds on youtube
so that I could listen to them at home, I came across these ASMR videos and
discovered that apparently, it's a thing.

For me, in-person sounds are always more satisfying. They are less predictable
and less uniform. The videos some people try to make to capture the ASMR
feeling have the idea right, but are not uneven enough. It's like when you ask
someone to write 50 iterations of a coin flip and they end up having max
substrings of the same character in a row that are only 2 characters long.
Real randomness isn't like that - you'll have some 4's and 5's, and 1's with
wide padding.

I think if you don't already feel this phenomenon yourself, watching some ASMR
videos to discover what it's like will probably not give you the feeling. It's
like eating a food you always hated, or jazz music - you don't like it until
suddenly, one day sitting there, you realize that you probably would if you
tried it again. And then you go, and you do. Before that, you don't really get
the appeal. It's just the fermentation of the brain. After a certain amount of
time, it just has a different taste.

For me, in these whisper videos, it's not the soft voice that triggers the
feeling, but the clicks in the speech - the "sk" and "st" sounds, and simple
pops of the tongue while it's being rearranged in the mouth between words.
Those noises made by the water in the mouth and not the air.

Just thought I'd share.

~~~
Mithaldu
I don't think i've ever heard anyone say that, but i had my first experience
with ASMR through something completely mundane: Listening to music with good
bass headphones on.

The high frequency percussion of albums like these, would result in a feeling
like a direct brain massage:

Psydrop - [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPy-
fYprejc&index=5&list=PL3...](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPy-
fYprejc&index=5&list=PL364BC39EC4705C40) (In fact, the very narrative of the
linked track explains the feeling.)

Infected Mushroom -
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HU2i_xOu4gk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HU2i_xOu4gk)

Infected Mushroom -
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBjuOtgTe6U](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBjuOtgTe6U)

It was 8 more years until i found that ASMR videos that did the same.

~~~
_pius
I wonder if you were experiencing the related, but different phenomenon of
_frisson_.

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frisson](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frisson)

~~~
Mithaldu
I get that too with certain music, but the brain massage effect is distinct
from that. :)

------
ntaso
I noticed a similar phenomenon, but I'd distinguish 3 different kinds:

1\. As a child (and still as an adult) I sometimes get this tingling sensation
in my scalp when someone does something very mundane (e. g. when I watch the
barber cutting my hair). I definitely have to be in the mood for that. So,
this scalp sensation comes mostly when I see and observe something. Sometimes,
it also comes when someone tells a story in a soft voice. My father could
trigger that when I was a child.

2\. Some music just gives me the chills. This tingling sensation is mostly
"goosebumps down my neck and spine", less in my scalp. I found that "Brutal
Dubstep Drops" never fail to cause it quite strongly and fast. E. g. this one:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQU9RFTR_84](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQU9RFTR_84)
(edit2: this never gets old and almost always works, how weird. If you listen
to it, listen at least the first 1:30 minutes)

3\. If someone touches my neck or back and uses fingernails to stroke me very
softly. I get goosebumps and my body doesn't get used to it for 15-20 minutes
if done right.

I guess 2+3 are different from ASMR, but I definitely experienced it. Quite
enjoyable.

Edit: Also this video, as cheesy as it might be:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSgiXGELjbc&list=PLFC4EE4355...](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSgiXGELjbc&list=PLFC4EE4355ADEBDB1)

I think, for me, it has something to do with fascination, mix of
repetitiveness and variation, and a relaxed state of the person I observe.

~~~
ryukafalz
#2 is a separate sensation called frisson:

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frisson](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frisson)

------
furyg3
Is there any hard psychological or neurological research being done on ASMR?

Not to detract on people's experiences (I believe you!), but right now it
looks as though there are a lot of different manifestations of the experience
which are being grouped into one "ASMR" category, ranging from "it calms me"
to "It feels nice" to "I get a tingling sensation" to "I am sexually aroused".
I think this is why there is a lot of defensiveness about it being branded a
fetish.

~~~
Ideka
I'm gonna need a source on that one. I experience ASMR, and the tingling
sensation definitely calms you and feels nice, but it has nothing sexual
attached to it.

------
l33tbro
I think it may be partially attributed to what Bret Victor calls Picture Under
Glass [1].

Bret talks a lot about how we use our phones and tablets all day handling
representations of real things beneath glass. We are not interacting in a
tactile way with our environment - not like we used to. So perhaps what's
happening is that maybe AMSR viewers are yearning for the authenticity of
touch that we are losing. This to me seems why watching someone paint their
nails would be so potent for some people.

Might need a neurologist to weigh in now.

[1]
[http://worrydream.com/#!/ABriefRantOnTheFutureOfInteractionD...](http://worrydream.com/#!/ABriefRantOnTheFutureOfInteractionDesign)

~~~
Sir_Substance
I can weigh in as someone who gets ASMR.

I've been experiencing it for my whole life, literally as long as I can
remember, and I was born in 1990, before tablets were a thing. That theory is
trash.

Also, painting of nails does nothing for me, everyone seems to get different
effects from different things.

The one thing that seems to set off everyone with ASMR is Bob Ross:

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FX2AEfZpWT8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FX2AEfZpWT8)

~~~
72deluxe
Confirmed that Bob causes it! In addition, he does some great drawings so what
a bonus!

He also has pretty impressive big hair.

------
72deluxe
I remember having this as a 10 year old watching another child draw something.
I always now get it when having an eye test or haircut - strangely, even
remembering an eye test causes it. I wonder if that's because I have a
photographic memory or something? I would be interested in what is actually
happening mentally, with tests done as an ECG.

Some of the videos are "triggers" for me, strangely even the "hair salon" one.
I have never been to a hair salon in real life but the quiet whispering /
personal attention given causes it.

Unfortunately when trying to explain it this does sound like some weird sexual
thing but it really isn't. I think trying to explain it only causes more
problems. Amusingly, trying to explain it to my wife: she said that she gets a
feeling when scared when being chased. That wasn't the feeling I was trying to
explain - that's fear haha.

I have a twin so perhaps I should see if he experiences it too?

------
Ronsenshi
What a superficial article.

That word - "braingasm" should be completely removed from ASMR and almost
everyone in community (at least r/asmr) agrees with it. It has a very bad
influence on the way outsiders view ASMR and treat those who experience these
tingles.

I've had had number of arguments with people who after short search in YouTube
assumed that ASMR is nothing more but some weird perversion and simply because
number of the girls who make those videos are attractive. Had to force people
to look more - to see that there's a lot of videos that do not feature women.
Man showing his pen/coin/knife collection without featuring his face or body -
yeah, we all dig that. /s

And here I thought author actually made some effort to get to know the
community - he talked to some of the artists, but apparently either not enough
or he didn't ask right questions.

~~~
timthorn
The article is a summary of a ~five minute report on the Today programme. It
isn't intended to be an in depth exploration of ASMR, just to introduce it to
people who haven't come across it. Your critique come across in the same way
as a Star Trek fan complaining about bring called a Trekkie rather than
Trekker.

~~~
jamesbrownuhh
There was a time when an article of that length would be thoroughly researched
before publication. Now, it seems acceptable to fill such articles with "going
on a journey" narrative - e.g. "I personally, the reporter, sometimes had
this, and it made me wonder this, so I looked it up. On YouTube there are lots
of videos about it. It is called T.H.I.S. Nobody knows who invented it, but
there have been lots of tweets recently. One video contains a picture of a
that, and it has had 7 million views, although the sound quality is poor.."
and on and on and on it goes like a junior school report.

Admittedly it does at least get a bit better as it goes on, but this style of
"journalism" is very off-putting once you notice how insubstantial it really
is. It really just is a long-form narration of a clicking-around-on-Google
session.

~~~
Graham24
"There was a time when an article of that length would be thoroughly
researched before publication."

And when was that exactly?

------
TheAceOfHearts
There's a subreddit for this:
[http://reddit.com/r/asmr](http://reddit.com/r/asmr)

I watch some of these videos every now and then, it's just kinda relaxing.

I definitely wouldn't consider it as a viable alternative to therapy....

------
blergh123
This visualisation triggers it for me!
[http://earth.nullschool.net/#2014/12/11/0900Z/wind/surface/l...](http://earth.nullschool.net/#2014/12/11/0900Z/wind/surface/level/orthographic=-124.80,34.67,1154)

I also experience the 'frisson' sensation mentioned in the article. It usually
happens when I visualise something slightly strange or funny! I have to
physically shake it off.

------
unclebucknasty
I've experienced this since childhood. Among other things, eye exams, as well
as having any exam with an otoscope can trigger it. I noticed that this is
especially so if I can hear the doctor breathing.

The experience seems to be the "opposite" sensation of, say, fingernails on a
chalkboard. I seem to be especially sensitive to those annoyances, and others,
such as forks scraping plates, etc. I wonder if there is a proportionate
increased sensitivity to ASMR experiences.

Some NPR programs, such as "All Things Considered", also seem to invoke ASMR.
Interestingly, Family Guy did a gag [1] wherein it was an annoyance, which I
thought odd. Makes me wonder if this really would be considered ASMR and
whether it really does irritate some people, where others are soothed by it.
So, some experiences can invoke the pleasant ASMR-type response in some, while
invoking its opposite in others.

[1]
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQSO0RbmHBI](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQSO0RbmHBI)

~~~
derefr
> So, some experiences can invoke the pleasant ASMR-type response in some,
> while invoking its opposite in others.

I can control which one I get! I have ADD. Unmedicated, it's the unpleasant
kind. Medicated, it's the pleasant kind. If this generalizes, it probably says
something about how ASMR works.

------
DonHopkins
I was up all night working on a demo, and had to go home and catch a few hours
of sleep before giving the demo in the afternoon. Outside my flat (in
Glasgow), they were sawing open the cobblestone street with a loud screeching
circular saw, which sounded almost as bad as Sarah Palin's voice (however it
wasn't saying anything stupid or nonsensical). It went on and on, and it was
very loud, and I could not block it out, so I just let it into my mind,
concentrated on it, and relished the sound, and got a wonderful pleasurable
tingling sensation, like endorphins being released, which made me feel rested
and refreshed without actually sleeping! I guess that qualifies as making
lemonade out of lemons. Maybe I should search youtube for a recording of
circular sawing cobblestones and see if it still works on me!

------
matxip
I'll throw my hat in by saying I noticed I had this sort of reaction before I
ever heard about it. Certain sounds would just cause a reaction I can best
equate to getting a scalp massage. The sounds that trigger the effect are
pretty widely varied.

It was actually pretty bizarre when I realized it wasn't a universal thing. In
fact, I think the most interesting facets of the whole thing is this divide.
It makes for one of those weird situation where if you don't experience it,
you just have to take people's word that it's not something akin to a placebo
effect. And I fully admit it sounds like it's made up, and I probably would be
skeptical if I didn't have firsthand experience.

------
jbrooksuk
Well that explains a lot. I had no idea that this was a thing, although I seem
to recall an MP3 I had on my phone which was a "3D" recording of a barber-
shop. The whole thing gave me a weird sensation in my scalp as I listened to
it. After that I realised that a lot of sounds do that.

At the moment I'm really into Dubstep/Techno/Electronic music - when I hear a
song that is really well layered (think Skrillex, Madeon) and you hear one of
the lower layers like a tambourine or a tiny synth it will give me the same
feeling. I can't explain why, but it's something about it.

------
yogrish
Interesting. At home I give this sort of feeling to my son playfully. I go
close to his ears and keep talking very slowly but with normal voice like " do
you know one thing that...." And give a pause and again slowly taking deep
breaths and blowing air... And suddenly I make slightly loud voice.

This whole thing give him experience of thorough tickling and GOOSEBUMPS. That
shows how much tickling he felt. It's good fun and kids njoy this connection.

Though these videos gave me tingle, I didn't get goosebumps. But still it's
good feel esp around my right ear and neck.

------
DiabloD3
ASMR artists worth watching (imho, anyways, and in no particular order):

    
    
      * https://www.youtube.com/user/HeatherFeatherASMR
      * https://www.youtube.com/user/ASMRrequests
      * https://www.youtube.com/user/GentleWhispering
      * https://www.youtube.com/user/OliviaKissperASMR
      * https://www.youtube.com/user/Hlvillaire (Hailey WhisperingRose)

------
shaurz
I seem to only get the tingles with binaural speaking close to the ear. But I
like to watch ASMR videos that don't trigger it because they are simply
comfortable and relaxing. Like the polar opposite of TV which is constantly
loud, fast and in your face. These days I have a preference for the guys,
especially Dr Dmitri...

------
NatW
This American Life had a great segment introducing this:
[http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-
archives/episode/491/t...](http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-
archives/episode/491/tribes?act=2#play)

------
Cthulhu_
I first heard about this from an online friend of mine (from Norway, female),
who described the feelings similarly. I don't experience it myself, but I can
understand it to some degree. Funny that the BBC finally caught up though, lol

~~~
jrs99
but can you really understand it? I used to tell people that I could
understand what the difference between Red and Green are, and I really
believed that I could tell just a little bit. I no longer believe that. I have
no idea what is Red and what is Green...

------
maaaats
> _I sometimes experienced a pleasant physical sensation in my scalp when I
> was especially intrigued or fascinated by something_

I get this feeling as well, but the ASMR videos really does nothing for me.

~~~
MichaelGG
I can remember when I was in 2nd grade, and I had missed the assignment
instructions. A classmate faced me and started giving instructions. I was
totally mesmerized. Same happens today. Salespeople explaining/selling a
product can also trigger this in me, and they're usually happy to do so. But
in videos it's mostly miss for these types of things. The pop and crackle ones
work though.

------
davyjones
For me, the coda of Comfortably Numb almost always does it. Interestingly,
there is a refractory period too! I haven't considered it a worthwhile
exercise to scientifically measure it.

~~~
Ronsenshi
Hm,I've ever experienced refractory period. I'm a man, so I'm well aware of
that phenomenon, but I do not experience it with ASMR. If video quality is
good and triggers are lined nicely I can experience tingles in waves without
any change in my mental state. And after that I can return to anything I've
been doing prior. Actually it helps very much to clear my head after lengthy
coding sessions.

------
bshimmin
Ten paragraphs before they expand the abbreviation ("Autonomous Sensory
Meridian Response")!

------
asrmrm
I registered asmr.me a while back, and i've been trying to think of an
interesting way to use it (rather than just a cut down version of youtube). I
thought perhaps some sort of tool for video creation, but it doesn't spark my
interest enough to spend the hours coding it.

------
quattrofan
More rubbish dreamed up to scam money from the gullible.

~~~
Ronsenshi
Another inane comment from the person who brushed over something he doesn't
experience and goes ahead and dismisses it as some sort of a hoax or a way to
scam money.

Here's a thing - there are thousands of people who experience ASMR (including
myself) and I only recently found out that it is a thing. Previously I had
assumed that everybody feel it, but simply don't talk about it. Apparently
not. How am I being scammed out of money then? This is not something somebody
imposed on me - I had it all my life.

~~~
jrs99
i don't think it's inane. I think that's his honest experience that he can't
feel what you feel. I think it's interesting. Like synesthesia. Some people
can't feel what other people feel... that in itself is pretty interesting.

