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Discussion » Questions » Health and Wellness » Why is yawning contagious?
Merlin

Why is yawning contagious?

Posted - August 7, 2017
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Responses


  • 46117
    Because behaviors are.

    Laughter and anger and tears all are equally contagious.



      August 7, 2017 8:51 AM MDT
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  • 10026
    I know this question has been asked before but I had forgotten it was a simple mimicking behavior.  This is how we lean many things too.  Manners, rules,  the alphabet, spelling, etc.  Thanks Shar to the Rona :) 
      August 7, 2017 9:02 AM MDT
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  • 5808
    maybe because I just Yawned reading
    your question...Contagious?? LOL
      August 7, 2017 9:19 AM MDT
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  • 10026
    Hahahahahahaa!!  You crack me up Baba!  That was funny!
      August 7, 2017 9:35 AM MDT
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  • 2658
    Contagious yawning is a phenomenon that only occurs in humans and chimpanzees as a response to hearing, seeing, or even thinking about yawning, contagious yawning remains an unexplained mystery to scientists..seems there are several reasons...   (I read this on an online research paper)...     https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-athletes-way/201403/why-is-yawning-so-contagious

    IMO, it's a monkey see, monkey do phenomenon... 
      August 7, 2017 9:23 AM MDT
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  • 10026
    Interesting read there, Bean.  So, we don't yawn before four yet we do yawn in the womb?  Boy, I do think they are right about something.  It does need a little more research or we could just stop pondering it and accept it.  We could call it the 8th wonder of human behavior.  Winks and smiles.  I thought people did because they needed to pop their ears and or lack of oxygen to their brains.  Who knows?!  Thanks Bean :) This post was edited by Merlin at August 7, 2017 9:59 PM MDT
      August 7, 2017 9:42 AM MDT
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  • Not only does no one know for sure why it's contagious, no one knows the function of yawning in the first place. 
      August 7, 2017 9:41 AM MDT
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  • 10026
    I'm quickly finding that out Nevan. I thought people did to pop their ears or because they had lack of oxygen to their brain. Obviously those aren't correct; but, I gave it a logical thought.  Giggles :)  Thanks Nevan :)
      August 7, 2017 9:44 AM MDT
    1

  • 22891
    cause youre giving everyone else the idea to yawn
      August 7, 2017 1:51 PM MDT
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  • 7280
    Two more recent articles on yawning and another one from 2013:  (It appears we haven't really figured it out yet.)


    https://time.com/4801522/is-yawning-contagious/

    https://mentalfloss.com/article/64654/why-is-yawning-contagious

    The latest research suggest that our sleepy sighs help to regulate the tejperature of our brain.  Snakes and fish do it. Cats and dogs do it. Even human babies do it inside the womb. 

    Yawning appears to be ubiquitous within the animal kingdom. But despite being such a widespread feature, scientists still can’t explain why yawning happens, or why for social mammals, like humans and their closest relatives, it’s contagious.  (June 28, 2013)


    Read more: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/why-do-we-yawn-and-why-is-it-contagious-3749674/#rSmhVfpeysIhBdHj.99     This post was edited by tom jackson at August 7, 2017 10:19 PM MDT
      August 7, 2017 2:34 PM MDT
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