The awesome as well as the awful: Heightened sensory sensitivity predicts the presence and intensity of Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR)

•Results show that those with (stronger) ASMR have heightened sensory sensitivity.•Specifically, sensitivity to interoceptive cues and positive appraisals of stimuli.•The Highly Sensitive Person construct emerged as central for predicting ASMR.•ASMR may involve heightened interoceptive sensibility and body-emotion awareness.•Findings shed new light on mechanisms underlying individual differences in ASMR. ASMR is a complex positive emotion experienced by some people in response to triggers including auditory, visual, interpersonal and tactile stimuli. We propose that the ability to experience ASMR and its resulting intensity might be underlined by individual differences in sensory sensitivity to exteroceptive and interoceptive cues. In a pre-registered study (N = 557), we examined whether sensory sensitivity measures (1) differentiated ASMR from non-ASMR responders and (2) predicted ASMR intensity. Results showed that people with (stronger) ASMR had greater interoceptive sensitivity (MAIA2) and bodily awareness (BPQ-BA) and were more likely to be classified as highly sensitive (HSPS). Results are discussed in relation to individual differences in environmental sensitivity, interoception, and emotional appraisal processes.