JOY Drive

18 Oct 2025

Associate Professor Daniel Shepherd: The Science of ASMR

Alternative Health, Health, Mental Health, Psychology

Whispers, tapping and soft brushing… for millions, Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) videos are a nightly ritual promising calm and sleep. But what’s really happening in our brains when those “tingles” kick in? Associate Professor Daniel Shepherd from Auckland University of Technology unpacks the psychology and science behind ASMR and how it soothes anxiety for some, creeps others out, and why only certain people can feel it at all.

Guest: Associate Professor Daniel Shepherd, Department of Psychology, Auckland University of Technology

Presenter: Warren Andrew

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 8:17 — 11.4MB)

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11 Jan 2026

Dr Sam Arnold: Autistic Burnout

Health, Mental Health, Psychology, Social Sciences, Society & Culture

Autistic burnout is not just tiredness. It can be a prolonged, life-altering depletion linked to sensory overload and masking. Sam ...

11 Jan 2026

Associate Professor Lauren Rosewarne: Why Libraries Are Booming Again

Literature, Popular Culture, Society & Culture

Libraries are busier than they have been in years, and they are no longer just about books. Associate Professor Lauren ...

11 Jan 2026

Tomáš Kantor: SUGAR at the 2026 Midsumma Festival

Arts, LGBTIQA+ Community, Performing Arts, Popular Culture, Society & Culture

SUGAR is a bold one-person show about desire, money and pop culture fantasies, where glamour and pop songs sit alongside ...