Yawning is a universal human experience that can spread quickly within social groups. But what triggers this phenomenon? Researchers have identified several factors, including brain cells called mirror neurons, which respond to actions observed in others.
When we see someone yawn, these neurons fire up, making us more likely to yawn ourselves. This effect is not unique to humans; some animals also exhibit contagious yawning. A study on dogs found that they yawned more frequently when watching their owner yawn than a stranger’s.
There are two main hypotheses for why yawning may be contagious: one suggests it helps boost threat detection within groups, while the other proposes it synchronizes group behavior and activity patterns. Research has shown that seeing others yawn can improve an individual’s ability to detect threats, supporting the first hypothesis.
A study on wild African lions found a similar connection between yawn contagion and motor synchrony. The results suggested that lions who caught a yawn from another lion were more likely to mirror its movements.
However, not everyone is equally susceptible to contagious yawning, with approximately 40-60% of typical volunteers yawning in response to watching another person yawn. Research has also explored the link between contagious yawning and empathy, but findings have been mixed.
Interestingly, studies have shown that individuals with psychopathic traits tend to be less susceptible to contagious yawning, suggesting a possible negative association. Ultimately, contagious yawning may be more about connection than fatigue, as Dr. Charles Sweet notes.
Source: https://www.livescience.com/human-behavior/why-is-yawning-contagious