The weird and wonderful world of ASMR – BBC
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Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) is an intense tingling sensation that some people feel when they hear certain sounds and see certain visual stimulants. Whispering and tapping quietly on inanimate objects are both ASMR-inducing techniques, but there is much more to it than that.
This strange phenomenon’s trajectory is an intriguing one, and ASMR content is now popular worldwide.
This film explores Weird Sensation Feels Good: The World of ASMR at London’s Design Museum, the first exhibition to celebrate the peculiarly pleasant world of ASMR. And it reveals online creators Gibi and Made in France ASMR, the “ASMRtists” who are pushing the boundaries of creativity.
Gibi says that ASMR helps to reduce viewers’ anxiety and counter negative feelings. “A lot of people would hide that they watched it,” she says. “And now, it’s fantastic, it has absolutely blown up. I think so many people have realised how beneficial it is, and how much we need this form of stress relief.”
Written and presented by Precious Adesina.
Filmed and edited by Paul Ivan Harris.
Commissioned by Lindsay Baker.
This video is part of BBC Culture and BBC Reel’s series, A Sensory World.
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