why do you yawn when you see someone else yawn?

Answer 1

You yawn to open the lungs and increase oxygen supply to the supply, normally when you want to stay awake but blood oxygen levels are low, when you see somebody else yawn your body reacts to take in more oxygen.

Answer 2

The yawn reflex is often described as contagious: if one person yawns, this will cause another person to "sympathetically" yawn.[3] The reasons for this are unclear; however, recent research suggests that yawning might be a herd instinct.[4] Other theories suggest that the yawn serves to synchronize mood behavior among gregarious animals, similar to the howling of the wolf pack during a full moon. It signals tiredness to other members of the group in order to synchronize sleeping patterns and periods of activity. It can serve as a warning in displaying large, canine teeth. This phenomenon has been observed among various primates. The threat gesture is a way of maintaining order in the primates' social structure. The contagion of yawning is interspecific (i.e., try yawning in front of your dog). Oddly, sometimes sympathetic yawning may be caused by simply looking at a picture of a person or animal yawning, or even seeing the word "yawn".

Answer 3

The only half decent theory I've ever heard (and has already been mentioned on here, but only the once) is that it helped the whole tribe go to bed at once, so they slept and woke around the same time. Otherwise if one person went to bed a lot earlier than the others, he'd wake up early, and wake everyone else up, and they'd all be tired all day (apart from the one who had the early night). So everyone going to bed at the same time is more efficient, and that is why yawning is contagious.

It is of course only a theory, but with the lack of any better ones around, I like to believe this one.

Answer 4

It must have something to do with auto suggestion.

My Daughter was one the phone to me last evening and she just kept on yawning constantly. Before I realised it I was yawning too.
Such an interesting conversation...we both ended up laughing so much that that was the end of that.

So like I said it must be something to do with auto suggestion, as we could not see each other but her yawning started me off.

Answer 5

Its just because its your turn when the oxygen levels are low. This is setting me off yawning now {yawn}.

Answer 6

Yawning has to be the most contagious thing in the world

Answer 7

Don't know, but the funny thing was, i used to have a dog that would yawn when you yawned in front of her...funny as h****

Answer 8

THATS A MYTH ....READ THE ARTICLE U WILL KNOW

Technically, a yawn is the reflex opening of the mouth followed by the deep inhalation and slow exhalation of oxygen
http://www.coolquiz.com/trivia/explain/docs/yawn.asp

Answer 9

well it is believed to be from our distant past when humans lived in small groups, as hunters an gatherers, when one member showed sign of sleepiness,(yawn) all of the others soon followed, it helps if the entire group slept and woke up the same time. this behavior has stuck with us ever since

Answer 10

This os one the most terrible case, The life in this World is built in harmony with each other. I am student and i can`t tell I am happy if any of my friend is yawn. I think this is PSYCHOLOGICAL process so I think the PSYCHOLOGIST mus answer to this question. This is my opinin.