Wednesday, January 11, 2012

why do you yawn theory!Does anyone know why yawning is contagious?

I have a theory its beacause your subconscious mind sees the other person yawning and thinks its using all the air up so must get some before its all gone. Its only a theory. Do you have a better one?
That's an interesting theory, and was one I had assumed until recently.

However, I recently read a very interesting science article studying contagious yawning in Chimpanzees.

Yes - chimps do exactly the same thing as humans: they are significantly more likely to yawn when they see another chimp yawning.

The researchers who carried out this study believe that contagious yawning is the result of empathy and self-awareness, both of which require a sophisticated intellwhy do you yawn theoryect. Confirming this need for higher social development before contagious yawning happens - both humans under the age of 5 and infant chimps do NOT contagiously yawn.

Fascinating stuff. Doesn't quite explain why we yawn in the first place. However, another interesting finding is that although many mammals yawn - ONLY carnivores (everyone's seen pictures of lions doing this) but NO herbivores yawn.

Lots of research to do, I guess - although I suspect that's not very high priority for research funding agencies!
It's a pleasure


Almost correct - people yawn when their brain is short of oxygen. Therefore, when somebody else yawns,why do you yawn theory it triggers your subconscious mind to believe there may be a shortage of oxygen, causing you to yawn too.
reading this just made me yawn. when i think or talk about it-it makes me yawn.it's probably to do with your subconscious mind
It aint.
when you hear or see a yawn you just think your brain needs more oxygen.
just like what that person before me said.
its not you are a follower not a leader
Seeing a person yawn makes you concious of how tired and sleepy you actually are. Such thoughts trigger off a yawn. Zzz.
never raised the point but yes it certainly is contagious, im actually yawning now
Its lack of oxygen to the brain that makes you yawn.

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