Use of ASMR Technique in Movies

Fatih Diren

doi:10.5195/cinej.2025.758

Use of ASMR Technique in Movies

Authors

Fatih Diren turkish https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4189-3215

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5195/cinej.2025.758

Keywords:

cinema, ASMR, new approaches in cinema, triggering, relaxation

Abstract

The cinema sector has benefited from many innovations, especially in recent years, in terms of technology. The use of some new technology cameras and other equipment has increased in cinema films. In addition, it is known that there are new attempts not only in terms of technology but also in terms of some approaches and techniques. The ASMR technique, which is the subject of this study, has started to be used in cinema films, although it is not widespread. The most used medium outside of cinema films is YouTube videos. The main purpose of videos created on YouTube is to relax people. Another area where the ASMR technique is used after YouTube videos is advertisements. It is known that some brands in our country shoot commercials using the ASMR technique. ASMR is a phenomenon defined as autonomous sensory meridian response. Those who experience the ASMR sensation experience tingling and goosebumps around the head for a short time. This article aims to be a guide for the cinema sector by investigating the effects of the use of ASMR techniques in cinema films on the emotional states of the audience. In this study, a short video shot using ASMR techniques (squeaking, rustling, detailed sound, cutting sound, water sound, cat purring, etc.) was shown to 10 (5 female and 5 male) Communication Faculty students. The participants' opinions on the use of ASMR technique in movies were obtained using an in-depth interview technique. It was observed that the majority of the participants had a positive view on the use of ASMR technique in movies in a proper and appropriate manner.

References

Barratt, E. L. & Davis, N. J. (2015). Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR): A flow-like mental state. PeerJ, 3:e851. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.851

Colver, M.C. & El-Alayli, A. (2016). Getting aesthetic chills from music: The connection between openness to experience and frisson. Psychology of Music, 44(3), 413-427. https://doi.org/10.1177/0305735615572358

Del Campo, M. A. & Kehle, T. J. (2016). Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) and frisson: Mindfully induced sensory phenomena that promote happiness. International Journal of School & Educational Psychology, 4(2), 99–105. https://doi.org/10.1080/21683603.2016.1130582

Delen, Ö. (2023). Whisper diplomacy: The image of Turkish as an international language in the ASMR world. [Unpublished master's thesis]. Atatürk University Institute of Social Sciences, Erzurum.

Fredborg, B., Clark, J. & Smith, S. D. (2017). An examination of personality traits associated with autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR). Frontiers in Psychology, 8(247). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00247

Grewe, O., Kopiez, R. & Altenmüller, E. (2009). Chills as an indicator of individual emotional peaks. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 1169(1), 351-354. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.04783.x

Holmowaia, A. S., & Danzis, M. S. (2020). Man with a movie camera: Economy of movement and ASMR videos on YouTube. Galactica Media: Journal of Media Studies, (1), 104-119.

Idayati, R., Sufani, L. & Syahputra, D. A. (2021). Effect of watching autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) video to heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory rate in students of architectural engineering, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh, Indonesia. Bali Medical Journal, 10(2), 733-736. https://doi.org/10.15562/bmj.v10i2.2338

Janik McErlean, A. B. & Osborne-Ford, E. J. (2020). Increased absorption in autonomous sensory meridian response. PeerJ, 8:e8588. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.8588

Karpuz, A. (2022). The relationship between autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) and experiential marketing: A study on online shopping sites. [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Marmara University, Institute of Social Sciences, Istanbul.

Łapińska, J. (2023). Your writing sounds gorgeous: post-cinematic experiments in ASMR videos as a sign of posthuman sensibility. International Journal of Performance Arts and Digital Media, 20(3), 327–342. https://doi.org/10.1080/14794713.2023.2226059

Łapińska, J. (2023). Posthumanizing Relaxation in Science-Fiction ASMR. In: Michałowska, M. (eds) Humanity In-Between and Beyond. Integrated Science, vol 16. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-27945-4_6

McGeoch, P. D. & Rouw, R. (2020). How everyday sounds can trigger strong emotions: ASMR, misophonia and the feeling of wellbeing. BioEssays, 42(12). https://doi.org/10.1002/bies.202000099

Poerio, G. L., Blakey, E., Hostler, T. J. & Veltri, T. (2018). More than a feeling: Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is characterized by reliable changes in affect and physiology. PloS one, 13(6), e0196645. 10.1371/journal.pone.0196645

Portas Ruiz, E. (2022). YouTube, the attention economy and digital audience interest in sponsored ASMR videos. The Anáhuac journal, 22(2), 12-41. https://doi.org/10.36105/theanahuacjour.2022v22n2.01

Seifzadeh, S., Sarani, E. M., Torkamani, F. & Ahsant, N. (2021). Cortical activation changes associated with autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR): Initial case report. Frontiers in Biomedical Technologies, 8(1), 70-76. https://doi.org/10.18502/fbt.v8i1.5860

Sönmez Kence, E. (2022). Neuropsychophysiological investigation of ASMR advertising experience. [Unpublished master's thesis]. Uskudar University, Institute of Social Sciences, Istanbul.

Tekin, H. H. & Tekin, H. (2012). In-depth interview as a data collection technique of qualitative research method. İstanbul University Journal of Sociology, 3(13), 101-116.

Vandenbos, G. R. (Ed). (2015). APA dictionary of psychology. Washington: American Psychological Association.

Wang, M. & Li, B. (2020). Research on the application of ASMR on the development and design of sleeping products. E3s web of Conferences, 179, 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202017902061

Yin, P. & Xiao, X. (2021). Autonomous sensory meridian response: Phenomenon that promote happiness. Psychology, 12, 321-326. https://doi.org/10.4236/psych.2021.123021

Young, J. & Blansert, I. (2015). ASMR. Penguin Random House LLC.

Downloads

Published

2025-12-03

How to Cite

Diren, F. (2025). Use of ASMR Technique in Movies. CINEJ Cinema Journal, 13(2), 641–660. https://doi.org/10.5195/cinej.2025.758

Download Citation

Issue

Vol. 13 No. 2 (2025): Fall

Section

Articles

License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

The Author retains copyright in the Work, where the term “Work” shall include all digital objects that may result in subsequent electronic publication or distribution.
Upon acceptance of the Work, the author shall grant to the Publisher the right of first publication of the Work.
The Author shall grant to the Publisher and its agents the nonexclusive perpetual right and license to publish, archive, and make accessible the Work in whole or in part in all forms of media now or hereafter known under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License or its equivalent, which, for the avoidance of doubt, allows others to copy, distribute, and transmit the Work under the following conditions:
1. Attribution—other users must attribute the Work in the manner specified by the author as indicated on the journal Web site;
with the understanding that the above condition can be waived with permission from the Author and that where the Work or any of its elements is in the public domain under applicable law, that status is in no way affected by the license.
The Author is able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the nonexclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the Work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), as long as there is provided in the document an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
Authors are permitted and encouraged to post online a prepublication manuscript (but not the Publisher’s final formatted PDF version of the Work) in institutional repositories or on their Websites prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work. Any such posting made before acceptance and publication of the Work shall be updated upon publication to include a reference to the Publisher-assigned DOI (Digital Object Identifier) and a link to the online abstract for the final published Work in the Journal.
Upon Publisher’s request, the Author agrees to furnish promptly to Publisher, at the Author’s own expense, written evidence of the permissions, licenses, and consents for use of third-party material included within the Work, except as determined by Publisher to be covered by the principles of Fair Use.
The Author represents and warrants that:
1. the Work is the Author’s original work;
2. the Author has not transferred, and will not transfer, exclusive rights in the Work to any third party;
3. the Work is not pending review or under consideration by another publisher;
4. the Work has not previously been published;
5. the Work contains no misrepresentation or infringement of the Work or property of other authors or third parties; and
6. the Work contains no libel, invasion of privacy, or other unlawful matter.
The Author agrees to indemnify and hold Publisher harmless from Author’s breach of the representations and warranties contained in Paragraph 6 above, as well as any claim or proceeding relating to Publisher’s use and publication of any content contained in the Work, including third-party content.