Why is yawning so contagious?

Question

When ever you see someone yawn, it makes yourself want to yawn!

Answer 1

Yawning itself is not contagious. If you yawn because you are bored and having trouble paying attention, someone else probably feels the same way. If you yawn because its early in the morning and you aren't fuuly awake, likewise someone else feels the same way. If its a warm, crowdwd room, carbon dioxide concentrations might be a bit high and several people yawn to inspire more oxygen.

Answer 2

Today we know that a yawn is a reflex of inhalation and exhalation that draws more oxygen into the bloodstream. A reflex is a built-in physical reaction that people often do not have control over. A yawn is often associated with a person being tired, but this is not always the cause for a yawn. People yawn for many reasons including stress, boredom, emotion and over-work.

Have you noticed that yawning seems to be contagious? If one person yawns, this appears to cause another person to yawn. Researchers have found that 40-60% of people who see a picture of someone yawning will yawn themselves. Even reading the word YAWN can make people yawn.

Although this “contagious” yawning behavior is not understood, it has been suggested that this could be the result of an unconscious herding behavior — a subtle way to communicate group behavior, such as when a birds follow the behavior of one bird, and all rise together as a whole flock.

Maybe a yawn is a signal to the group that it’s time to go to sleep. Or if someone yawns when they’re bored, it may be a sign to change the topic of conversation.

Answer 3

yes this is a strange phenomenon, im thinking about a project that includes yawning, well an experiment anyway

Answer 4

Normally, it's an automatic reflex action depicting comfort between another specie and that likely come from way back in our DNA. If intentional such as in business, it depicts bordedom of the other & exhibits oneself a jerk..

Answer 5

Damn gud question....how do i star it?