The ASMR full form Autonomous sensory meridian response. ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) is a tingling feeling that usually starts on the scalp and goes down the back of the neck and upper spine. It has been compared to auditory-tactile synesthesia and may overlap with frisson as a pleasant form of paresthesia.
ASMR stands for “low-grade euphoria,” which is defined as “a combination of good sentiments and a characteristic static-like tingling sensation on the skin.” Specific aural or visual inputs, as well as conscious attention control, are the most prevalent triggers. A genre of ASMR-inducing videos has arisen, with over 13 million videos broadcast on YouTube as of 2018.
While many informal and formal terms were used and proposed between 2007 and 2010, there was a significant majority of opposition to its use among those who participated in online discussions at the time, many of whom have continued to distinguish the euphoric and relaxing nature of ASMR from sexual arousal. However, the case for sexual stimulation continues to be made, and some proponents have created ASMRotica (ASMR erotica) movies that are specifically designed to be sexually stimulating.
Early proponents of ASMR found that the phenomena was largely unconnected to sexual arousal. Jennifer Allen, a participant in an online forum, proposed the term “autonomous sensory meridian response” to describe the phenomenon in 2010. Allen chose the words with the following specific meanings in mind or assumed:
Autonomous – self-governing, spontaneous, with or without control
Sensory – referring to one’s senses or sensations
Meridian – a peak, culmination, or highest point of growth.
Response – An experience triggered by something external or internal is referred to as a response.