Analysis: The Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response

Imagine a place where sight no longer matters; a place where every thought, every feeling, and every emotion depends entirely on the sounds coming from the speakers of a headphone. I sat apprehensively on the cushioned chair in my quiet living room, headphones sat snug upon my head as I experienced this world for the first time. The laptop before me betrayed nothing, remaining blank as the sound of a brush danced across my ears, the rhythmic sound strangely relaxing to the point I didn’t notice when the sounds stopped. A hand appeared on my shoulder to shake me from my trance, and I turned to look at the young woman standing behind me. Ms. Kristina Burnham was a little on the short side with a little weight to her curves. Curly brown locks framed her round face and were a stark contrast to her pale complexion. Dressed casually in a yellow shirt and jeans, she looked like a person who enjoyed reading, but not someone I expected to make audios for other to listen to. As I slide the device off my head, she began to explain what I had just experienced: The Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, otherwise better known as “ASMR”.
The sensation ASMR triggers is described as a “tingling” that travels through the body (Burnham). “It also refers audios like the one I showed you,” Kristina told me, “and there are also several types of audios.” Reaching forward,
“Emotional” is a genre often debated on whether it is ASMR due to the major difference from traditional audios, choosing to focus more on the creator speaking directly to the listener than just sounds. As a result, these audios can be personalized and have more variety in their subjects (Burnham). However, these audios are time-consuming, requiring a written script that is either neutral or targets a specific gender. While gender-neutral audios are harder to write, Kristina explains that she prefers that her audience not feel