The Science of Happiness

The Emerging Science of ASMR (Encore)


Listen Later

There are millions of YouTube videos with people crinkling bubble wrap or whispering about folding laundry. Our guest talks about why autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) makes her, and many others, feel more calm and happy.

Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/ye4p3tkw

Episode summary:

Melinda still remembers the tingling feeling she felt when she first listened to the close-up sound of someone drawing on a TV show at the age of ten. She learned later that the subtle sounds that create soothing sensations for her are called autonomous sensory meridian response, or ASMR. Now, she creates ASMR experiences on her YouTube channel and through her live production company, Whisperlodge — from delicately handling a plastic package to gently stroking a microphone with a makeup brush. In today's show, Melinda demystifies the world of ASMR and how it brings both calm and delight to her and her participants. Later, we hear about the emerging science behind ASMR from Dr. Giulia Poerio, who studies it in her lab at the University of Essex. As it turns out, those tingles might actually benefit our mental health.

Today’s Science of Happiness Guests:

Melinda Lauw, is the co-creator of Whisperlodge, an immersive ASMR theater experience.

Check out some ASMR videos from Whisperlodge's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/Whisperlodge

Learn more about Whisperlodge: https://whisperlodge.nyc/

Follow Melinda on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melinda.lauw/

Follow Melinda on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melindalauw

Giulia Poerio is a psychology professor at the University of Essex who studies the effects of ASMR on the mind and body.

Learn more about her work: https://www.essex.ac.uk/people/poeri14804/giulia-poerio

Resources from The Greater Good Science Center:

  • Listen to our Happiness Break on silence: https://tinyurl.com/2hny7pcd

  • Just One Thing: Pay Attention!: https://tinyurl.com/cm2xb86j

  • What Music Looks Like in the Brain: https://tinyurl.com/2k9t3sjz

  • Does Your Voice Reveal More Emotion Than Your Face?: https://tinyurl.com/ympr4brk

  • More Resources for ASMR:

    • TED - The brain science (and benefits) of ASMR: https://tinyurl.com/y8a89xv3

    • Vox - ASMR, explained: why millions of people are watching YouTube videos of someone whispering: https://tinyurl.com/4j4kn7dh

    • New York Times - How A.S.M.R. Became a Sensation: https://tinyurl.com/2jke45k5

    • NPR - Some People Get 'Brain Tingles' From These Slime Videos. What's Behind The Feeling?: https://tinyurl.com/2p8p4u7d

    • National Geographic - ASMR or not? Unpicking the science behind a sensory phenomenon: https://tinyurl.com/yvnvuzk5

    • Tell us your thoughts about ASMR. Do you get tingly sensations?  Email us at [email protected] or use the hashtag #happinesspod.

      Help us share The Science of Happiness!

      Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap

      ...more
      View all episodesView all episodes
      Download on the App Store

      The Science of HappinessBy PRX and Greater Good Science Center

      • 4.5
      • 4.5
      • 4.5
      • 4.5
      • 4.5

      4.5

      1,808 ratings


      More shows like The Science of Happiness

      View all
      Living on Earth by World Media Foundation

      Living on Earth

      466 Listeners

      Latino USA by Futuro Media and PRX

      Latino USA

      3,755 Listeners

      Afropop Worldwide by Afropop Worldwide

      Afropop Worldwide

      302 Listeners

      On Being with Krista Tippett by On Being Studios

      On Being with Krista Tippett

      10,098 Listeners

      Live Wire with Luke Burbank by PRX

      Live Wire with Luke Burbank

      316 Listeners

      Tara Brach by Tara Brach

      Tara Brach

      10,457 Listeners

      The World by PRX

      The World

      910 Listeners

      Snap Judgment by Snap Judgment and PRX

      Snap Judgment

      11,598 Listeners

      TED Radio Hour by NPR

      TED Radio Hour

      22,076 Listeners

      Good Life Project by Jonathan Fields / Acast

      Good Life Project

      3,266 Listeners

      The One You Feed by iHeartPodcasts

      The One You Feed

      2,511 Listeners

      Reveal by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX

      Reveal

      8,122 Listeners

      Hidden Brain by Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam

      Hidden Brain

      43,265 Listeners

      Untangle by Untangle

      Untangle

      828 Listeners

      10% Happier with Dan Harris by 10% Happier

      10% Happier with Dan Harris

      12,544 Listeners

      Being Well with Forrest Hanson and Dr. Rick Hanson by Rick Hanson, Ph.D., Forrest Hanson

      Being Well with Forrest Hanson and Dr. Rick Hanson

      2,420 Listeners

      Things That Go Boom by PRX

      Things That Go Boom

      318 Listeners

      Meditative Story by WaitWhat

      Meditative Story

      3,064 Listeners

      The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos by Pushkin Industries

      The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos

      14,520 Listeners

      Kelly Corrigan Wonders by Kelly Corrigan

      Kelly Corrigan Wonders

      3,348 Listeners

      Suave by Futuro Media

      Suave

      1,446 Listeners

      A Slight Change of Plans by Pushkin Industries

      A Slight Change of Plans

      1,870 Listeners

      We Can Do Hard Things by Glennon Doyle and Audacy

      We Can Do Hard Things

      41,049 Listeners

      How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality by PRX

      How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality

      157 Listeners