Close-up and Whispering: An Understanding of Multimodal and Parasocial Interactions in YouTube ASMR videos

TL;DR

This paper analyzes how YouTube ASMR videos create multimodal, parasocial interactions that foster social connection and relaxation, providing insights for designing ASMR-based multimedia experiences.

Contribution

It offers a detailed annotation and analysis of interaction modalities and parasocial attractions in 2663 ASMR videos, filling a research gap in HCI.

Findings

ASMR videos facilitate multimodal social connection

They promote relaxing physical intimacy and sensory-rich observation

Viewer responses vary with interaction types

Abstract

ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response) has grown to immense popularity on YouTube and drawn HCI designers' attention to its effects and applications in design. YouTube ASMR creators incorporate visual elements, sounds, motifs of touching and tasting, and other scenarios in multisensory video interactions to deliver enjoyable and relaxing experiences to their viewers. ASMRtists engage viewers by social, physical, and task attractions. Research has identified the benefits of ASMR in mental wellbeing. However, ASMR remains an understudied phenomenon in the HCI community, constraining designers' ability to incorporate ASMR in video-based designs. This work annotates and analyzes the interaction modalities and parasocial attractions of 2663 videos to identify unique experiences. YouTube comment sections are also analyzed to compare viewers' responses to different ASMR interactions. We find that ASMR videos are experiences of multimodal social connection, relaxing physical intimacy, and sensory-rich activity observation. Design implications are discussed to foster future ASMR-augmented video interactions.