Happy Little Goosebumps...Thanks, Bob Ross!
February 7, 2012 10:18 AM Subscribe
Why do I have this weird physiological response to listening to Bob Ross paint his happy little clouds?
When I couldn't fall asleep in the middle of the night a couple of weeks ago, I remembered that I have this weird physiological response to Bob Ross' voice as he is narrating his painting program. I hadn't watched it in years, but a few clips were up on YouTube and...yup...a few Bob Ross videos and I was fast asleep.
I don't know how to describe this response exactly. I think it is related to the "whispery" quality of his voice, or the "scritching" of the brush on the canvas (or both at the same time). When I hear it, I immediately get pleasant goosebumps on the backs of my arms, across my torso, up the back of my neck, and across my scalp. My neck, shoulder and jaw muscles instantly unclench, my eyelids begin to feel heavy, and I feel kind of mentally calm and sleepy. I don't need (and generally don't want) to look at the video...it's just the audio. There have been a few other voices or situations where I have felt this, but they are relatively rare and I can't remember specifics. But in general, I have memories of other people (real or recordings) with a certain tone/volume of voice who can immediately trigger this pleasant, relaxed feeling in me and I want them to keep talking.
What is this crazy response? Does it have a name? Or am I the only one who ever experiences this?
When I couldn't fall asleep in the middle of the night a couple of weeks ago, I remembered that I have this weird physiological response to Bob Ross' voice as he is narrating his painting program. I hadn't watched it in years, but a few clips were up on YouTube and...yup...a few Bob Ross videos and I was fast asleep.
I don't know how to describe this response exactly. I think it is related to the "whispery" quality of his voice, or the "scritching" of the brush on the canvas (or both at the same time). When I hear it, I immediately get pleasant goosebumps on the backs of my arms, across my torso, up the back of my neck, and across my scalp. My neck, shoulder and jaw muscles instantly unclench, my eyelids begin to feel heavy, and I feel kind of mentally calm and sleepy. I don't need (and generally don't want) to look at the video...it's just the audio. There have been a few other voices or situations where I have felt this, but they are relatively rare and I can't remember specifics. But in general, I have memories of other people (real or recordings) with a certain tone/volume of voice who can immediately trigger this pleasant, relaxed feeling in me and I want them to keep talking.
What is this crazy response? Does it have a name? Or am I the only one who ever experiences this?
Best answer: You're definitely not alone. There is a whole subreddit for it.
posted by desjardins at 10:24 AM on February 7, 2012
posted by desjardins at 10:24 AM on February 7, 2012
Don't know about the goosebumps, but there are definitely people who use Bob Ross as a sleeping aid.
posted by Ljubljana at 10:24 AM on February 7, 2012
posted by Ljubljana at 10:24 AM on February 7, 2012
No, you aren't the only one who ever experiences this; it has been discussed on Metafilter before but darned if I can find it. Dunno what it is called. There is a whole thing on Youtube where people record whispery relaxation videos. Search for "whisper" relaxation videos.
On preview: ooooh Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response.
posted by Justinian at 10:25 AM on February 7, 2012
On preview: ooooh Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response.
posted by Justinian at 10:25 AM on February 7, 2012
Hey, I'm not the only one!
posted by scose at 10:28 AM on February 7, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by scose at 10:28 AM on February 7, 2012 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Weird, I just looked up "Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response" on Google Scholar and...nothing. That subreddit thread is very interesting (and hey, I'm not the only one either!) If this ASMR-thing is actually a physiological "thing", has there been research that explains it in detail? Worse yet, it's listed as a "pseudoscience" topic in Wikipedia. Are there any credible studies of this phenomenon?
This is truly bizarre. I had no idea that there were so many other YouTube videos of people looking to purposely trigger the response for themselves. I love the internet.
posted by jeanmari at 10:34 AM on February 7, 2012
This is truly bizarre. I had no idea that there were so many other YouTube videos of people looking to purposely trigger the response for themselves. I love the internet.
posted by jeanmari at 10:34 AM on February 7, 2012
I can do it too, and most of the time I can trigger it myself just by trying to get goosebumps. I don't understand it. If I need procrastination fuel tonight I'll look into it.
posted by sarae at 10:43 AM on February 7, 2012
posted by sarae at 10:43 AM on February 7, 2012
Here's a post on the blue about ASMR.
posted by illenion at 10:44 AM on February 7, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by illenion at 10:44 AM on February 7, 2012 [1 favorite]
Not the only one. I used to switch Bob Ross on when I came home after school (this would have been in high school in the mid-to-late 80s) and I would instantly calm down, but a really intense calm, if that makes sense. Then I'd have a good nap and wake up feeling amazing.
Certain other things can trigger that feeling but I can't think of one at the moment.
posted by cooker girl at 12:02 PM on February 7, 2012
Certain other things can trigger that feeling but I can't think of one at the moment.
posted by cooker girl at 12:02 PM on February 7, 2012
Holy cow. I can't believe this happens to someone else.
Bob Ross doesn't do it to me, but other random things do. I used to watch YouTube videos by this guy (aboywearingmakeup) who did makeup tutorials, and just kind of slump down in my chair and bliss out. Certain vendors making sales calls also do it.
Thanks, MeFites, for giving me a name for this weirdness!
posted by missrachael at 12:20 PM on February 7, 2012
Bob Ross doesn't do it to me, but other random things do. I used to watch YouTube videos by this guy (aboywearingmakeup) who did makeup tutorials, and just kind of slump down in my chair and bliss out. Certain vendors making sales calls also do it.
Thanks, MeFites, for giving me a name for this weirdness!
posted by missrachael at 12:20 PM on February 7, 2012
Best answer: I just dug around your Wikipedia link a bit and found this and this linked in the discussion. Science!
Also, previously, including a possibly relevant paper on dopamine and meditation.
posted by clavicle at 12:38 PM on February 7, 2012
Also, previously, including a possibly relevant paper on dopamine and meditation.
posted by clavicle at 12:38 PM on February 7, 2012
OMG! IT has a name! And other people do it!
posted by pointystick at 3:34 PM on February 7, 2012
posted by pointystick at 3:34 PM on February 7, 2012
This is the only time I'll probably ever say: I know this isn't pseudoscience. It happens to me too, in the exact same way you describe. I only know one other person IRL who gets this, and she's not related to me. It doesn't seem to be a genetic thing.
Anyway, I would LOVE it if somebody would take it seriously and scan our brains as it was happening. Bob Ross triggers it for me, too (among other stimuli - certain women's voices; light touches on my hair; the rhythmic sound of a hammer; watching someone draw or mop a counter very slowly and methodically), but it isn't his voice that does it for me - it's watching and hearing his brush move on the canvas.
posted by artemisia at 4:53 PM on February 7, 2012
Anyway, I would LOVE it if somebody would take it seriously and scan our brains as it was happening. Bob Ross triggers it for me, too (among other stimuli - certain women's voices; light touches on my hair; the rhythmic sound of a hammer; watching someone draw or mop a counter very slowly and methodically), but it isn't his voice that does it for me - it's watching and hearing his brush move on the canvas.
posted by artemisia at 4:53 PM on February 7, 2012
There just hasn't been much research on it, but I get it very strongly too. It's definitely different from frission, which is more of a chills thing. ASMR, for those who don't experience it, is more like a gentle but deep scalp massage - almost like the fingers in the video are caressing your brain.
posted by Earl the Polliwog at 7:05 PM on February 7, 2012
posted by Earl the Polliwog at 7:05 PM on February 7, 2012
This is totally alien to me and I'm fascinated, and jealous!
posted by ms.codex at 7:33 PM on February 9, 2012
posted by ms.codex at 7:33 PM on February 9, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by desjardins at 10:22 AM on February 7, 2012 [2 favorites]