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Yawning is contagious. This fascinating phenomenon has been confirmed by studies. And it’s not just true for humans, but for animals too.
Yawning is contagious: What studies say
Studies show that contagious yawning is closely related to empathy.
- Research conducted by the University of Pisa has shown that we are most likely to yawn when we feel emotionally close to the person yawning. This happens most often with family members, followed by friends. We yawn less frequently with acquaintances and least frequently with strangers. Factors such as gender or nationality do not play a role.
- Children develop the ability to yawn contagiously from around the age of four. This coincides with the development of social skills and empathy. This is due to so-called mirror neurons in the brain. These nerve cells become active when we observe others.
- These neurons are also important for other behaviors. They promote the understanding of social signals. Therefore, we tend to imitate not only yawning, but also emotions.
- The duration of yawning is related to brain size. Humans yawn for an average of 6.5 seconds, while mice yawn for only 0.8 seconds. This was discovered in the study “Yawn duration predicts brain weight and cortical neuron number in mammals” led by Andrew Gallup of the State University of New York.
- The study “Yawning as a Brain Cooling Mechanism,” also by Andrew Gallup, suggests that yawning helps keep the brain at operating temperature.
- Contagious yawning is not limited to humans. Chimpanzees and other primates also yawn when they see their fellow species. Even dogs react to their owners’ yawning. This shows the close emotional bond between humans and their pets.
Contagious yawning: evolutionary significance
Scientists discuss various hypotheses about the evolutionary significance of contagious yawning.
- One theory suggests that communal yawning synchronized sleeping habits in prehistoric times. When someone in the group yawned, it was a sign to the others that it was time to rest. This meant that the group was awake and alert at the same time, which increased their protection against danger.
- Another hypothesis suggests that contagious yawning increases group alertness. Yawning temporarily increases the heart rate and supplies the brain with more oxygen. This leads to increased alertness. When one member of the group yawned, the others became more alert, which was advantageous in dangerous situations.
- Interestingly, there are differences in how susceptible people are to contagious yawning. People with high empathy are more likely to yawn along. People with autism or other disorders that impair empathy are often less responsive to the yawning of others.
