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Hear the Tap, Feel the Scratch

The Transgressive Intimacy of ASMR

by Joanna Łapińska (Author)
©2026 Monographs XII, 192 Pages
Series: European Connections, Volume 51

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Summary

How do digital experiences shape intimacy? What role do sensory stimuli play in creating connections across virtual spaces? ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response), a growing cultural and media phenomenon, invites us to reconsider the ways intimacy, care and relaxation are nurtured through immersive soundscapes and visuals.
This book situates ASMR within the landscape of contemporary affective culture, exploring how sounds, visuals and tactile elements build intimate and soothing connections in digital environments. Through a detailed analysis of ASMR videos, it reveals how posthuman perspectives and post-cinematic aesthetics blur the boundaries between human and non-human, reshaping our experience of media and creating new spaces for connection, care and emotional resonance. Ultimately, it uncovers how ASMR opens the door to new forms of transgressive intimacy, challenging traditional notions of closeness in today's world.

Details

Pages
XII, 192
Publication Year
2026
ISBN (Softcover)
9781803740195
Language
English
Keywords
ASMR affect theory digital intimacy posthumanism sensory experiences sleep culture soundscapes tapping scratching transgressive intimacy relaxation post-cinematic embodied sensations wellness culture affective triggers media performance
Published
Oxford, Berlin, Bruxelles, Chennai, Lausanne, New York, 2026. xii, 192 pp., 25 fig. col.
Product Safety
Peter Lang Group AG

Biographical notes

Joanna Łapińska (Author)

Joanna Łapin´ska, who holds a PhD in Cultural Studies, is a postdoctoral scholar who has taught at the University of Vienna and Paris Lodron University of Salzburg. She led a research project on ASMR funded by the Austrian Science Fund. Her academic interests include ASMR, posthumanism, affect theory and self-care. She has published widely in film and media studies.

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Title: Hear the Tap, Feel the Scratch