yawning seems to be contagious, can I get the scientific explaination or any relevant elaboration?

Answer 1

What's behind this mysterious epidemic of yawning? First, let's look at what a yawn is. Yawning is an involuntary action that causes us to open our mouths wide and breathe in deeply. We know it's involuntary because we do it even before we are born. Research shows that 11-week-old fetuses yawn.

There are many parts of the body that are in action when you yawn. First, your mouth opens and jaw drops, allowing as much air to be taken in as possible. When you inhale, the air taken in is filling your lungs. Your abdominal muscles flex and your diaphragm is pushed down. The air you breath in expands the lungs to capacity and then some of the air is blown back out.

While the dictionary tells us that yawning is caused by being fatigued, drowsy or bored, scientists are discovering that there is more to yawning than what most people think. Not much is known about why we yawn or if it serves any useful function, and very little research has been done on the subject. However, there are several theories about why we yawn. Here are the three most common theories:


The Physiological Theory -- Our bodies induce yawning to drawn in more oxygen or remove a build-up of carbon dioxide. This theory helps explain why we yawn in groups. Larger groups produce more carbon dioxide, which means our bodies would act to draw in more oxygen and get rid of the excess carbon dioxide. However, if our bodies make us yawn to drawn in needed oxygen, wouldn't we yawn during exercise? Robert Provine, a psychologist at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and a leading expert on yawning, has tested this theory. Giving people additional oxygen didn't decrease yawning and decreasing the amount of carbon dioxide in a subject's environment also didn't prevent yawning.
The Evolution Theory -- Some think that yawning is something that began with our ancestors, who used yawning to show their teeth and intimidate others. An offshoot of this theory is the idea that yawning developed from early man as a signal for us to change activities.
The Boredom Theory -- In the dictionary, yawning is said to be caused by boredom, fatigue or drowsiness. Although we do tend to yawn when bored or tired, this theory doesn't explain why Olympic athletes yawn right before they compete in their event. It's doubtful that they are bored with the world watching them.
The simple truth is that even though humans have been yawning for possibly as long as they have existed, we have no clue as to why we do it. Maybe it serves some healthful purpose. It does cause us to draw in more air and our hearts to race faster than normal, but so does exercise. There's still much we don't understand about our own brains, so maybe yawning is triggered by some area of the brain we have yet to discover. We do know that yawning is not limited to man. Cats, dogs, even fish yawn, which leads us back to the idea that yawning is some form of communication.

Have we provoked a yawn out of you yet? If we have, hopefully it's not out of boredom, but by the power of suggestion

Answer 2

yawning may be a reaction to either the lack of oxygen,or the accumulation of carbon dioxide,in the lungs or breathing pathways.

Yawning occurs particulalry when one is inactive,such as when sitting and listening to a boring presentation.the frequency of brathing is minimized,and the "air quality" in the lungs and brathing pathways becomes intolerable.So,a deep inhalation,facilitated by opening the mouth,flushes all the stale air out,taking CO2 with itand intoducing O2.

Another theory about yawning stems from the observation that people usually yawn while stretching and that yawning is most frequent in the hour before sleep and after awakening.one could even conceptualize yawning as stretching of the face.

This doesn't explain why yawning is "contagious";perhaps "communal yawning" is a social sign of belonging.The child psychologist Piaget noted that children are susceptible to yawning contagion by age 2!
People even tend to yawn when reading about yawning or thinking about it.

So Yawning is a stereotyped pattern of action that is itself releasing a STIMULUS for another stereotyped pattern of action in another individual.

Answer 3

No, the nature of yawning remains quite somewhat unexplored scientifically. it really is wisely-known that yawning itself is acceptable to elevating the point of ate up oxygen in a thanks to stimulate the artwork of your organism. Yawning is often brought about by a substitute in interest - like waking up or going to sleep. in spite of the actuality that there is not any medical reason behind yawning being contagious.

Answer 4

Yawning is the way in which the body an acquire more oxygen.

Answer 5

not everyone yawns when in around one that does. It has been shown that when you yawn and one around you yawns also, that it is a show of a type of compassion that we give off without realizing it.

Answer 6

i think it is to aquire more oxygen