"I see you shiver with antici...": The effect of positive auditory and visual stimuli on the Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response

Abstract

Introduction: Certain auditory and visual stimuli, or ‘triggers’, can elicit the Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR), a pleasant, often tingly sensation. Aims of this thesis include determining whether ASMR can be successfully induced in a controlled environment, examining whether positive stimuli have an effect on the ease of elicitation, and if so, whether auditory or visual positive stimuli are best at priming the response. Method: Fourteen adult participants with previous experience of ASMR were asked to rate the response in three conditions following self-chosen triggers in a repeated measures mixed methods experimental design. The conditions included priming with positive emotional auditory stimuli, priming with positive emotional visual stimuli, and a baseline condition with no stimuli (‘unprimed’). Results: Subjective ASMR ratings did not show statistically significant differences between conditions. There was also no significant interaction effect of condition with gender or order, and large standard deviations indicated a wide spread in data. However, similar themes emerged in response to the open-ended questions, including triggers, sensation, location, and effects of ASMR. Conclusion: ASMR was successfully elicited with auditory stimuli novel to participants. However, positive affective priming did not produce any statistically significant effects on ASMR, possibly due to its inherently personal and subjective nature. While suggested mechanisms behind ASMR were not investigated, these results add support to the idea that ASMR causes an improvement in mood and not vice versa. Other avenues may need to be explored for maximising the therapeutic benefits of ASMR in the future.