PEOPLE FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THINGS THAT
THEY DO NOT EXPERIENCE
ASMR is only beginning to emerge into public awareness, but there is hope that its scientific journey will follow the same historical path as synaesthesia. The first step in this journey is likely to be the dispelling of scientific scepticism around the existence of ASMR. ASMR is not something that everyone experiences, meaning that some people find it hard to believe. Scepticism is a common problem with non-universal or unusual experiences. This issue may arise because people typically generalize from their own experiences; something that is not part of our experiential world is harder to accept as true. There are many examples of this ‘false consensus’ effect or ‘typical mind fallacy’. Would you believe that some people can recall every moment from their lives in the minutest detail, that some people do not experience any form of visual imagery, or that some people are visited by terrifying ‘shadow men’ intruders at night while paralysed and unable to act? These are all examples of scientifically documented experiences (hyperthymesia,[11] aphantasia[12] and sleep paralysis[13]) that, although atypical, are considered legitimate experiences for scientific study.
ASMR is fascinating whether you experience it or not. It is clear from the sheer volume of YouTube videos and associated viewing figures that it is by no means a niche experience. Anecdotal reports suggest that ASMR may offer potential to serve as a sleep aid, and a method of promoting well-being. What is essential, however, is the need to test anecdotal reports with systematic scientific enquiry, something that I and my research team are continuing to do. The onus will be on researchers to establish the physiological and neural underpinnings of ASMR, since this would demonstrate that ASMR is a reliable phenomenon in those that experience it. Once ASMR has been established as a scientific object of enquiry, it would then be possible to examine it in more detail – including exploring its origins (proximal and distal causes), concomitants and consequences, as well as its potential therapeutic and clinical benefits for rest and relaxation.
NOTES
↑ 1. Sleepio.com, ‘The Great British Sleep Survey’, n.d., http://sleepio.com/2012report/.
↑ 2. Rhys Baker, ‘I’m Using My Newly Discovered ASMR To Fight Depression’, Thought Catalog, 9 March 2015, http://thoughtcatalog.
