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The Mystery of Brain Tingles: The Science of ASMR

Publish: October 30, 2023

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  • Masashi Nakatani (Co-author)

    Faculty of Environment and Information Studies Associate Professor

    Masashi Nakatani (Co-author)

    Faculty of Environment and Information Studies Associate Professor

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 attained.

The fascination with studying ASMR lies not only in the phenomenon itself, but in the fact that research began after the general public discovered it. ASMR content expanded rapidly through multimedia platforms such as YouTube and Reddit, and many works have emerged that have garnered enthusiastic support from some viewers.

I learned about the existence of the ASMR phenomenon through a podcast program I often listened to while studying in the United States. My research subject is the science of touch, or haptic science, but the ASMR phenomenon, which triggers sensations as if one is being touched through audiovisual means, was an interesting 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 arriving at the Faculty of Environment and Information Studies, I have been conducting joint research with the Shinya Fujii Laboratory, which is involved in music neuroscience. Some of those research results are also mentioned in this book.

To prevent the spread of the pandemic, classes and Academic Advisory Board using remote conferencing systems have become widespread. Now that meetings can be held from anywhere on Earth, we may simultaneously feel that something is missing despite such convenient technology. I believe that by conducting ASMR research and understanding the sensory information that appeals to the physical and emotional aspects of our daily lives, we can understand the root of that feeling that something is missing, and progress can be made in considering methods and the development of information technology to compensate for it. This book shows how the science of ASMR, which originated from citizen science, can contribute to the development of the science of our perceptual world.

Masashi Nakatani (Co-author)

Iwanami Shoten

128 pages, 1,540 yen (tax included)

*Affiliations and titles are those at the time of publication.

Writing Notes