From Internet Curiosity to fMRI Lab
The term "ASMR" was coined in 2010 on a Facebook group. For years it was dismissed as pseudoscience. That changed in 2015 when Barratt & Davis published the first peer-reviewed survey in PeerJ, documenting trigger types and reported benefits across 475 ASMR-experiencers.
Since then, ASMR has been studied with controlled physiological monitoring, fMRI, EEG and personality inventories. The picture that emerges: ASMR is a real, measurable response — though only ~20% of people experience strong tingles, the calming effect of the videos extends much more broadly.
Three studies stand out as the foundation of current understanding: Poerio 2018 (physiology), Lochte 2018 (fMRI activation), and Smith 2019 (resting-state connectivity).
Five Key Studies
Barratt & Davis (2015)
PeerJ. First peer-reviewed ASMR survey. Catalogued common triggers (whispering, slow speech, personal attention) and reported benefits (relaxation, mood, sleep, pain relief).
Poerio et al. (2018)
PLOS ONE. Two-experiment study showing ASMR videos reliably lowered heart rate and raised positive affect — comparable in magnitude to music and mindfulness.
Lochte et al. (2018)
BioImpacts. fMRI study during ASMR experience. Activations in medial prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, insula — networks tied to social reward and emotion regulation.
Smith et al. (2017, 2019)
Social Neuroscience. Resting-state fMRI showed atypical default mode network connectivity in ASMR responders — suggesting baseline brain architecture differences.
Engelbregt et al. (2022)
Experimental Brain Research. EEG showed increased alpha power and decreased beta during ASMR — a signature of relaxed, externally-focused attention.
Fredborg et al. (2017)
Frontiers in Psychology. Personality study linking ASMR sensitivity to higher openness-to-experience and neuroticism, plus lower conscientiousness and extraversion.
What We Still Don't Know
Honest science means acknowledging the gaps. Current ASMR research limitations:
Most ASMR neuroimaging studies have under 30 participants. Replication with larger cohorts is still needed.
Participants self-identify as ASMR-experiencers, which complicates blinding and controls.
We see brain-network differences in ASMR responders, but we don't yet know whether these are cause, consequence, or simply co-occurring.
Almost all studies are acute. The clinical effect of daily ASMR use over months or years has not yet been rigorously tested.
Is the tingle linked to oxytocin? Endogenous opioids? Mirror-touch synaesthesia? Several hypotheses exist; none are definitively established.
Sources & Further Reading
- Poerio GL, Blakey E, Hostler TJ, Veltri T (2018). More than a feeling: Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) is characterized by reliable changes in affect and physiology. — PLOS ONE
- Lochte BC, Guillory SA, Richard CAH, Kelley WM (2018). An fMRI investigation of the neural correlates underlying the Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR). — BioImpacts
- Smith SD, Katherine Fredborg B, Kornelsen J (2017). An examination of the default mode network in individuals with ASMR. — Social Neuroscience
- Barratt EL, Davis NJ (2015). Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR): a flow-like mental state. — PeerJ
- Fredborg B, Clark J, Smith SD (2017). An examination of personality traits associated with ASMR. — Frontiers in Psychology
This article is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for personal concerns.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ASMR scientifically proven?
What did the Poerio 2018 study find?
What does fMRI show about ASMR?
Why don't some people feel ASMR tingles?
Experience It Yourself
Reading about ASMR helps; experiencing it is the point.