Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR): A flow-like mental state
- Published
- Accepted
- Subject Areas
- Psychiatry and Psychology
- Keywords
- Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, ASMR, synaesthesia, synesthesia, flow state, chronic pain, depression, mindfulness, meditation, misophonia
- Copyright
- © 2014 Barratt et al.
- Licence
- This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, reproduction and adaptation in any medium and for any purpose provided that it is properly attributed. For attribution, the original author(s), title, publication source (PeerJ PrePrints) and either DOI or URL of the article must be cited.
- Cite this article
- 2014. Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR): A flow-like mental state. PeerJ PrePrints 2:e719v1 https://doi.org/10.7287/peerj.preprints.719v1
Abstract
Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) is a previously unstudied sensory phenomenon, in which individuals experience a tingling, static-like sensation across the scalp, back of the neck and at times further areas in response to specific triggering audio and visual stimuli. This sensation is widely reported to be accompanied by feelings of relaxation and wellbeing. The current study identifies several common triggers used to achieve ASMR, including whispering, personal attention, crisp sounds and slow movements. Data obtained also illustrates temporary improvements in symptoms of depression and chronic pain in those who engage in ASMR. A high prevalence of synaesthesia (5.9%) within the sample suggests a possible link between ASMR and synaesthesia, similar to that of misophonia. Links between number of effective triggers and heightened flow state suggest that flow may be necessary to achieve sensations associated with ASMR.
Author Comment
This paper has been submitted for peer review at PeerJ.