Technology

Facts About ASMR You Might Not Know

Have you ever experienced a tingling sensation that starts from the back of your neck, travels down your spine, and spreads throughout your limbs when you hear sounds like rain falling, fire crackling, or someone whispering into a microphone? That's called ASMR, and there are many things about ASMR that you probably haven't known.

Administrator

6 December, 2023

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ASMR is short for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, which roughly translates to Independent Pleasant Response. The sensation of ASMR is different from the goosebumps you feel when you listen to an impressive song; it is a pleasant tingling sensation that starts at the back of your head and travels down your spine, sometimes spreading to your arms and legs, occurring in waves rather than continuously.

Currently, science has not fully explained the phenomenon of ASMR that is causing a frenzy on YouTube. While waiting for the mysteries of ASMR to be unraveled, let’s take a look at some surprising facts about ASMR that you may not know.

1ASMR is a physical response, not just an emotion

The term ASMR was coined about a decade ago, despite its peculiar nature. Educational studies have shown that ASMR is a physical phenomenon that is the opposite of emotion. An experiment was conducted on 110 individuals who watched ASMR videos while being connected to biometric sensors. The results showed that the participants’ heart rates slowed down by over 3 beats per minute. Additionally, the conductivity of their skin nerves increased compared to those who did not watch ASMR.

2No one really knows what ASMR is

Whispering, tongue clicking, gentle scratching, or singing softly are common ways to induce ASMR. However, no one really knows what specific sensations someone experiences from ASMR. In fact, there is even a website called “ASMR University” (asmruniversity.com) dedicated to researching this phenomenon, but so far, it has only reached an explanation of how ASMR could work.

3ASMR is a money-making tool

A YouTuber who specializes in making ASMR videos shared that she can earn about $500,000 per year from advertising revenue on her videos. It’s quite a lucrative opportunity when all you need to do is invest in videos by tapping, scratching, or whispering into a microphone.

Furthermore, another Instagram star named Makenna Kelly, who is only 13 years old, can earn up to $900 a day from her ASMR videos, thanks to over 500,000 followers.

4Some ASMR videos have high sexual arousal

There is indeed a correlation between ASMR and sexuality. Dr. Craig Richard, the founder of the ASMR website mentioned above, stated that “ASMR videos elicit a sexual response, but it is primarily due to sexual stimuli rather than ASMR-triggering factors.” He further added that only about 10% of participants in a survey reported feeling sexually aroused by ASMR.

5Even A-list celebrities are joining the ASMR trend

The movie “Battle of the Sexes,” starring Steve Carell and Emma Stone and released in 2017, was the first well-known film to intentionally include ASMR-inducing scenes. In the film, there is a scene where Emma Stone brings a camera and a microphone to a hair salon and uses them to focus on touching hair and performing hand movements on the hair while speaking softly and making mesmerizing hair cutting motions.

Additionally, on some famous magazines like W, our celebrities take turns creating ASMR videos, and these videos have gained quite a lot of attention afterward.

6ASMR is not just limited to videos

Although ASMR is commonly experienced through videos, it is not limited to that form. In general, the sensations of ASMR can be triggered by various stimuli such as sound, visuals, scents, and touch. ASMR piques the curiosity and fascination of many young individuals; therefore, it has become a trend on YouTube. YouTube users often create ASMR sensations through sounds like whispering, eating, page flipping, as well as common sounds like rain, pouring water, or rustling leaves.

7Not everyone experiences ASMR

Among the 60% of people who can experience ASMR, 20% experience it strongly, while 40% experience it mildly, meaning that 40% do not experience ASMR at all. ASMR is a physical reaction rather than a predefined sensation, so it occurs randomly under suitable conditions and is not a universal feeling in individuals. Some individuals with misophonia (a condition of being sensitive to certain sounds) may find ASMR stimuli disturbing, agitating, or even anger-inducing.

ASMR contains more fascinating facts than we had ever imagined, don’t you think? This seemingly familiar yet new phenomenon is becoming increasingly popular among Vietnamese youths, with some famous Vloggers already experiencing ASMR in their videos, including our dear friend Giang Oi Vlog!