2006-09-25 21:54:27 · 12 answers · asked by JayK 1 in Social Science ➔ Other - Social Science
Signals a lack of oxygen in that person's brain and I suppose people need to start fighting for their share of air.
2006-09-25 22:02:06 · answer #1 · answered by boo! 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lots of nice answers there but the truth of the matter is that nobody knows either why we yawn, or why it is contagious. There are theories about yawning such as the ones in the other answers here, lack of oxygen, primal instincts, but the truth is that the experiments conducted to prove these have all left reasonable doubt. It is one of life's great mysteries, just take it as such and don't worry about it too much.
2006-09-26 05:20:03 · answer #2 · answered by alogosou 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if you believe in evolution and human migration from Africa than you believe in humans living in caves and living in close quarters. if you have too much co2 in your blood you yawn and it releases excess co2 from your blood and balances your CO2/O2 levels. if someone in the group you depend on for life has too much co2 in there blood chances are you do too. they yawn causing you to yawn. You can yawn silently over the phone and chances are that the other person will yawn too. Also if you are in a room and you yawn check if others are yawning too. You will yawn when you hear the faint pause in a persons exhale, just as they start to yawn. it is a subconscious response (like instinct). Another example of the subconscious response. When you hear or see someone throw up and you gag and almost throw up too. same principle. if everyone in the group ate something bad and the first person to get sic triggers everyone to get rid of what they just ate. same with yawning. it is a response to external stress on a group level engrained over thousands of years. Hope that shed some light on that for you.
2006-09-26 05:16:59 · answer #3 · answered by cody b 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Its a relic from a past survival mechanism, when we were just learning to walk around on land if you saw someone gasping for air your brain would automatically tell you there is a lack of oxygen and you need to gasp too, seeing someone yawn provokes the same reaction.
2006-09-26 05:14:41 · answer #4 · answered by Aaron L 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yawning will always remind of people about sleep. Most of the people nowadays do not get enough GOOD sleep! Thats why they always do the same thing when see others do it.
2006-09-26 05:14:03 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I dont know, but I yawned when I read this question.
2006-09-26 21:36:54 · answer #6 · answered by Me 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I just yawned. Yep.
2006-09-26 04:56:22 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
it's a subconcious fight for the life source, air.
2006-09-26 05:31:44 · answer #8 · answered by bavwill 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it is actually one of the most provoked behaviors by suggestion. so, yes, it is "visually contagious"
2006-09-26 04:56:06 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because it looks cool.
2006-09-26 06:17:14 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋