The Mystery of Brain Tingles: The Science of ASMR

2023/10/30

ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response) is a phenomenon that researchers call a "response that spontaneously brings about sensual sensations." It is known that when sensory information that triggers ASMR is received, not only can physiological responses observable from the outside, such as goosebumps, be confirmed, but higher-order emotional states such as "relaxation" can also be achieved.

The fascination of studying ASMR lies not only in the phenomenon itself but also in the fact that research began because the general public discovered it. ASMR content expanded rapidly through multimedia platforms such as YouTube and Reddit, and many works have gained cult-like support from some viewers.

I learned about the existence of the ASMR phenomenon through a podcast I often listened to while studying in the United States. My research focus is the science of touch, or haptic science, but the ASMR phenomenon, which triggers sensations as if one is being touched through audio-visual means, was an intriguing subject for considering haptic research. I proposed "Research on Sensual Acoustic Texture Media that Appeals to the Body and Emotions" as a theme for the Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas "Scientific Elucidation of Diverse Texture Recognition and Creation of Innovative Texture Technology." Since joining the Faculty of Environment and Information Studies, I have been conducting joint research with the Shinya Fujii Laboratory, which is involved in music neuroscience. This book also mentions some of those research results.

To prevent the spread of the pandemic, classes and Academic Advisory Board using remote conferencing systems became widespread. Now that meetings can be held from anywhere on Earth, such convenient technology may simultaneously leave us with a sense that something is missing. I believe that by conducting ASMR research and understanding the sensory information that appeals to physical information and emotions—which we feel in our daily lives—we can understand the root of that feeling that something is missing and proceed with the development of methods and information technology to compensate for it. This book describes how the science of ASMR, which originated from citizen science, can contribute to the development of the science of our perceptual world.

The Mystery of Brain Tingles: The Science of ASMR

Masashi Nakatani (Co-author)

Iwanami Shoten

128 pages, 1,540 yen (tax included)

*Affiliations and titles are as of the time of publication.