POPSCI.COM•WINTER 2019 812010 2013 2013 2015Cybersecurity
professional Jennifer
Allen forms the Face-
book page Autonomous
Sensory Meridian
Response Group, giving
the sensation a name.Researchers at the
University of Amsterdam
argue that misophonia
is actually a psychiatric
condition, and introduce
a preliminary scale for
diagnosing it.Dartmouth College
undergraduate student
Bryson Lochte conducts
some of the earliest
brain-imaging studies
on ASMR as part of his
honors thesis project.Emma Barratt and
Nick Davis of Swansea
University release the
first mainstream study
on autonomous sensory
meridian response in
the journal PeerJ.how to bring
on brain tingles
Light touch is a
real-life ASMR spark.
Tapping a camera can
replicate that
sensation digitally.
Creators often move
slowly and precisely,
building a sense
of serenity and
control that viewers
can share.Other popular
sounds include
scissors cutting hair,
candy wrappers
rustling, and hands
squishing slime.Whispering is the
most common tingle-
starter, which is why
most videos rely on
hushed tones.Recording from
all sides of a mic
creates an immersive
3D audio experience.Most “ASMRtists” are
women—but there’s
no evidence that their
voices make more-
effective triggers.YouTubers use what little we know about ASMR to spark shivers
of pleasure in their viewers. They transmit taps and swishes and
crinkles created by countless objects and presented in clips fitting
all sorts of styles. Here’s how vloggers carefully curate soundscapes
and visuals to help sooth a squirming subscriber to sleep.