2006-10-22 04:57:29 · 15 answers · asked by Lily & Stu Too 5 in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ Other - General Health Care
The yawn reflex is often described as contagious: if one person yawns, this will cause another person to "sympathetically" yawn. The reasons for this are unclear; however, recent research suggests that yawning might be a herd instinct. 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, for example a human yawning in front of a pet dog can incite the dog to yawn as well. 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
2006-10-22 05:00:34 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 0⤋
Maybe the contagious yawn was a way of ensuring the whole tribe would be sure to get plenty of sleep ready for the next day of hunting/surviving (apart from feeding babies all night). Instead of different sleeping patterns for everyone, as we do these days with shift-work.
update:
It would also clear or stretch the nose throat and ear tubes.
2006-10-22 05:05:32 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Compounding the mystery is the odd way in which the contagious power of yawning is largely unconscious. We can see someone yawn, yearn to replicate the action ourselves, and do it, all without thinking about it. Other times we’re aware it is happening, though it still floats somewhere beneath the realm of reason and of purposeful actions.
2006-10-23 07:33:48 · answer #3 · answered by Random Jon 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
when 1 person yawns they're letting out any extra carbon dioxide that they don't need in your body but when someone Else's mind hears or read the word yawn it realises it has to much carbon dioxide in the body and this makes you yawn. When some1 doesn't breathe deeply the carbon dioxide gets trapped inside even though it was supposed to leave the body so after the carbon dioxide builds up you yawn even when your not feeling tired.
2006-10-22 05:19:13 · answer #4 · answered by elizacooper1993 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Good question! I yawned 18 times simply reading the rest of the answers!!! Sympathetic seems to make sense to me, now I am going to bed!!! night night.
2006-10-22 06:12:54 · answer #5 · answered by SUPER-GLITCH 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it definitely is.....haven't you noticed that in the public places when one yawns it seems like everyone who sees it...like there beng infected..they can't help but yawn themselves.I've seen that many times.
2006-10-22 05:08:15 · answer #6 · answered by james ian h 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
yes its part of our monkey ancestors communication. yawning means we need a change of activity
2006-10-22 04:58:58 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Mutual empathy.
2006-10-22 05:02:47 · answer #8 · answered by dot&carryone. 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i don't know but that made me yawn.. lol.
2006-10-22 05:05:12 · answer #9 · answered by Shelby 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yawning is an automatic "reflection" that originates from our brain stem....
2006-10-22 05:00:48 · answer #10 · answered by celine8388 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋