For those who experience ASMR and are low in conscientiousness, their heart rate (HR) more often decreases than those who don’t experience ASMR. For those low in conscientiousness, increased EDA, decreased theta power, and increased beta power may show that ASMR relates to arousal and focused attention.

ASMR and Conscientiousness

Electroencephalography (EEG)’s measure electrical impulses in the brain. For ASMR experiencers and non-experiencers, watching ASMR decreased theta power, and increased beta power.

New Mexico Highlands University

ASMR is a warm, enjoyable tingling feeling some get in parts of the body, such as the scalp, neck, and shoulders from watching online videos with certain audio, visual, and tactile stimuli. Intensity of responses to stimuli varies by individual and there’s significant variance in types of triggers individuals prefer.

Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR)

Measures the changes in electrical potentials of groups of neurons through an electrode headcap.

Electroencephalography (EEG)

Electroencephalography (EEG) is a technique used to obtain a measure of the brain's overall electrical activity. It involves placing an array of electrodes on a person's scalp to record brainwaves. The resulting data provides high-precision information, accurate to the millisecond, about the frequency and amplitude of these waves, making it ideal for applications like sleep studies where precise spatial information is not required.

This has a frequency of 3.5 to 7.5 hz and relates to slow activity. It connects to creativity, daydreaming, memory, emotion, sensation, reflection, meditation, and spiritual awareness. It’s the state that lies between being awake and asleep. Theta activity is abnormal in awake adults, but normal in children up to age 13. It reflects activity from the limbic system and hippocampus. If it works properly it can aid in learning.

EEG Theta

Beta activity has 14 or greater Hz and is seen as fast activity. It tends to be the dominant brain wave in those who are alert, anxious, or have their eyes open. It relates to problem solving, decision-making, and processing information. Because it’s wide, it’s divided into three sections, including low, midrange, and high. 

EEG Beta

Braithwaite, J. J., Watson, D. G., Jones, R., & Rowe, N. (2015). A Guide for Analysing Electrodermal Activity (EDA) & Skin Conductance Responses (SCRs) for Psychological Experiments. guide-electrodermal-activity.pdf. https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/documents/college-les/psych/saal/guide-electrodermal-activity.pdf

A Guide for Analysing Electrodermal Activity (EDA) & Skin Conductance Responses (SCRs) for Psychological Experiments

Mayo Clinic. (n.d.). EEG (electroencephalogram). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/eeg/about/pac-20393875

EEG (electroencephalogram)

People choose to watch them to reduce stress, and address insomnia, which are symptoms of anxiety.

Why People Watch ASMR Videos

ASMR videos significantly reduces state anxiety for those who experience ASMR, but has no effect on trait anxiety for those who don’t experience ASMR.

ASMR Effectiveness

Functional connectivity looks at interactions among different regions of the brain. Functional MRI (fMRI) can measure this. Each type of ASMR trigger relates to different functional connectivity patterns in the brain. 

ASMR and Functional Connectivity 

Dorsal attention network connects to the top-down adapting of attention to visual stimuli. Being affected by two types of ASMR triggers positively relates to the dorsal attention network, indicating ASMR may relate to irregular attention processing.

ASMR and Dorsal Attention Network

There’s convergence between ASMR, transliminality, body consciousness, and unusual experiences, and divergence between ASMR and mindfulness.

ASMR and Consciousness Correlates

This includes:
-	Watching 
-	Touching
-	Gentle repetitive sounds
-	Simulations
-	Soft oral sounds 

ASMR Triggers

Ways to measure ASMR include:

- Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response Scale [ASMR-15]

Measuring ASMR

ASMR is related to increased sensory processing sensitivity (SPS).  Those with SPS are more sensitive to subtle stimuli and easily overstimulated by external stimuli.

ASMR and Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS)

ASMR first emerged as an internet phenomenon in 2010, and has been growing.

History of ASMR

ASMR and Mindfulness

Both operate under similar physiological mechanisms and both can be induced by mindfulness.

ASMR and Frisson

There are anatomical and functional connections between auditory and somatosensory processing. For instance, hearing a rubbing sound and feeling sandpaper with the fingers activates the same part of the cortical area in the caudal auditory region.

Auditory and Somatosensory Processing

People who experience ASMR tend to have more sensitivity to pain but no difference in pain tolerance than the control group.

ASMR and Pain Tolerance

All participants, even those who don’t feel the effects of ASMR, experienced decreased heart rate (HR) when watching ASMR videos.

ASMR and Heart Rate 

Electrodermal Activity (EDA) refers to involuntary changes in the electrical features of the skin. For those who experience ASMR and are low in conscientiousness, EDA increased more than those who don’t experience ASMR.

ASMR and Electrodermal Activity 

ASMR and Electroencephalography 

People who experience ASMR had significantly higher levels of openness-to- experience, and neuroticism, and significantly lower levels of conscientiousness, extraversion, and agreeableness.

ASMR and Personality

EEGs are mostly used to inform affective scientists about which areas of the brain positive and negative emotions are likely to occur in. 

Electroencephalography's Purpose in Emotions Research 

Uses fast Fourier transform on an amplitude vs. time graph to plot amplitude against frequency. Frequency bands, where lower bound is inclusive and upper bound is exclusive, and their indicators:

* Delta (0.5-4 Hz): sleep depth; homeostasis during NREM sleep.
* Theta (4-8 Hz): emotional memory consolidation.
* Alpha (8-12 Hz): visual perception; mental imagery; inhibition of neurons.
* Sigma (12-15 Hz): sleep spindles; learning and memory consolidation; sleep maintenance.
* Beta (15-30 Hz): arousal.
* Gamma (30-45 Hz): arousal.

EEG power spectral analysis

Due to its ability to track brainwave patterns over time, electroencephalography (EEG) is an especially valuable method for researchers studying sleep. It helps in analyzing sleep stages and identifying abnormalities associated with sleep disorders.

Application of EEG in Sleep Research

Electroencephalography (EEG) is primarily used to measure the brain's general electrical activity, providing an overall picture of brain function rather than information about the precise location of the activity. This makes it a suitable tool when spatial resolution is not the main priority.

EEG's Focus on Overall Brain Activity

EEG electrodes provide high-precision data on brainwaves by measuring their frequency, defined as the number of waves per second, and their amplitude, or height. This information is captured with millisecond accuracy, allowing for detailed temporal analysis.

Information Provided by EEG Electrodes

In a typical electroencephalography (EEG) experiment, an array of electrodes is placed around a participant's head, often using a white cap covered in wires. The individual might sit at a desk, looking at a computer screen and interacting with a keyboard and mouse while their brain's electrical activity is recorded.

Example of an EEG Experimental Setup

A cognitive neuroscience researcher is deciding on the best tool to use for their next study. Given that the primary advantage of electroencephalography (EEG) is its ability to measure the timing of the brain's overall electrical activity with millisecond-level precision, which of the following research questions is most suitably investigated using this technique?

A neuroscientist is planning a study to identify the precise, millimeter-specific brain structure responsible for a newly discovered cognitive function. The primary goal is to create a detailed 3D map of this specific, localized area of activity. The neuroscientist proposes using Electroencephalography (EEG) as the sole imaging method for this study. Based on the fundamental principles of this technique, evaluate the neuroscientist's choice. Is it the most suitable method for achieving the stated goal? Justify your conclusion.

Evaluating a Research Method

Through alpha-theta training, people can increase sensory perception, abstract-thinking, and self-control.

EEG Alpha-Theta Training

This is 15-18 hz. This relates to thinking and being conscious of surroundings and self. 

EEG Mid Beta

This is 12-15 Hz. It is in the frontal and occipital lobes of the brain. It relates to sensorimotor rhythm brainwaves (SMR) which relates to feeling relaxed and focused. If SMR is low then it can cause attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADD or ADHD).  

EEG Low Beta 

This is greater than 18 hz. This relates to alertness and agitation. Associated tasks include mental tasks like planning and math.

EEG High Beta

A state of heightened sensory awareness, thought, and behavior, characterized by an awareness of one's surroundings and the ability to communicate or signal understanding. When awake, beta waves are prominent in the brain.

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