Can someone Scientifically explain how yawning is contagious?

Question

Il try to ask my teacher in a few days, if possible.

Answer 1

The proximate cause for contagious yawning may lie with mirror neurons, i.e. neurons in the frontal cortex of certain vertebrates, which upon being exposed to a stimulus from conspecific (same species) and occasionally interspecific organisms, activates the same regions in the brain[4]. Mirror neurons have been proposed as a driving force for Imitation which lies at the root of much human learning, e.g. language acquisition. Yawning may be an offshoot of the same imitative impulse.

At a distal level (in terms of evolutionary advantage), yawning might be a herd instinct.[5] 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

Answer 2

The yawn reflex is often described as contagious: if one person yawns, this will cause another person to "sympathetically" yawn.[3] The proximate cause for contagious yawning may lie with mirror neurons, i.e. neurons in the frontal cortex of certain vertebrates, which upon being exposed to a stimulus from conspecific (same species) and occasionally interspecific organisms, activates the same regions in the brain[4]. Mirror neurons have been proposed as a driving force for Imitation which lies at the root of much human learning, e.g. language acquisition. Yawning may be an offshoot of the same imitative impulse. At a distal level (in terms of evolutionary advantage), yawning might be a herd instinct.[5] 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.[citation needed]

Another theory is that yawning occurs to stabilize pressure on either side of the ear drums. The deep intake of air can somtimes cause a popping sound that only the yawner can hear; this is the pessure on the inner air stabilizing. This commonly occurs in lower-pressure environments, such as inside an airplane, which cause the eardrums to be bent instead of flat. Thus taking in large amounts of oxygen causes the air pressure around others ears to change so they then yawn as well.

Answer 3

There is actually no scientifically known reason why, yet science has recognized that yawning does appear to be "contagious."

One theory is that contagious yawning is a relic of our tribal past. It may have helped organize the daily lives of large groups of humans living together by essentially "signaling" bedtime.

Weird, huh??

Answer 4

* 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.

* The Boredom Theory -- In the dictionary, yawning is said to be caused by boredom, fatigue or drowsiness.

Now see i believe this bredom theory. Suppose we are in same room enviroment. If a single person getting bored that means there is more of a chance of not much interesting thing is going on for many of us. Like in the history class room (for me) or in traffic jams.

Thus everyone starts yawning.

Yawns!!!!

Answer 5

It is not contagious. It is like a group of people going to the bathroom. When one goes, everybody feels like going !

Answer 6

I don't think they have a definite answer. It could be to get rid of excess air in the body when it is moving to a resting state.

Prehistoric men and women may all have wantedto sleep at the same time for social/survival reasons. So it may have developed this way over time.

Answer 7

Yes. When you yawn you take in more oxygen and produce more carbon dioxide, when there is not enough oxygen getting to the brain you yawn to get that needed oxygen. When you take in more oxygen there is less in the air and therefore other people need to yawn to get the oxygen they need.

Answer 8

i don't know but this question made me yawn. seriously

Answer 9

its just something say its not contagious