Abstract: Yawning is a universal behavior observed in many species, but why do we yawn when others yawn? The idea that yawning increases the brain’s oxygen supply Although not yet proven, some evidence suggests that it may be related to the regulation of circadian rhythms and attention.
Contagious yawning, found primarily in humans, is thought to function as a form of nonverbal communication and help synchronize group behavior. Mirror neurons, which are activated during social interactions and imitation, may explain why seeing someone yawn triggers empathy and social bonding.
Important facts:
Contagious yawning may help synchronize human collective behavior. Observing a yawn activates mirror neurons associated with empathy. A link between yawning and brain oxygenation has not been proven, but it may modulate alertness.
Source: The Conversation
After a hearty lunch at work, you and your colleagues attend a meeting. First one of your colleagues starts yawning, then the second, and finally your turn. Many biological explanations have been proposed for this, but what is the scientific consensus?
Yawning is a universal phenomenon, observed from an early age in many vertebrate species, from wolves to parrots, and of course in humans. But why do we yawn when we see other people yawning?
The reason yawning has existed in so many species for so long is because it appears to be a necessary mechanism for survival. But what is its real purpose? Whether it’s to provide oxygen to the brain, regulate body temperature, or provide social signals, there’s no shortage of hypotheses both in the public and in the scientific community.
The widespread idea that yawning increases the brain’s oxygen supply has not been confirmed. Another explanation suggests that yawning helps you stay alert. Again, there is no consensus on this either.
What seems more certain is the link between yawning and the circadian rhythm, our body’s internal clock. The majority of yawns occur during rest and are generally concentrated upon awakening and falling asleep. More precisely, it occurs when the body’s alertness is reduced, such as when trying to digest a meal.
A means of communication?
Although the reasons behind yawning have not yet been confirmed, its “contagious” nature has led to important discoveries in various fields of both biology and social psychology.
Yawning may play an important role in social interactions, as observed in ostriches, which use yawns to synchronize group behavior. Like humans, we often yawn when transitioning from a state of wakefulness to a state of rest, or vice versa. Yawns serve as signals indicating changes in activity or attention, ensuring that all members of the group are simultaneously alert or resting, increasing group safety and maintaining group rhythm.
However, contagious yawning appears to be primarily a human trait, with a few exceptions such as chimpanzees and lion monkeys. This specificity strengthens the idea that human yawning, in addition to its purely physiological function, is a means of nonverbal communication. The main hypothesis is that yawning helps synchronize group behavior, a function similar to that observed in ostriches.
In fact, seeing or hearing someone yawn stimulates areas of the brain involved in imitation and empathy, especially thanks to mirror neurons. These neurons are activated by observing behavior. For example, when a child ties his shoelaces according to his parent’s movements. However, the specific area of the brain specifically involved in contagious yawning is part of a neural network associated with empathy and social interaction.
Predisposition to contagious yawning?
Empathy appears to play an important role in susceptibility to contagious yawning. People with social disorders such as autism and schizophrenia seem to be less able to accept other people’s yawns. Research even shows that external factors such as breathing and body temperature can decrease or increase contagious yawning, respectively.
This observation supports the idea that perceptions of infection may be exaggerated because studies often look at individuals within a population. This dynamic may influence the frequency of observed yawns, suggesting that it is not necessarily seeing someone yawn that causes a response, but rather the presence and interaction within the group.
So if you find yourself yawning after lunch when your coworker is yawning, it’s possible that their yawning isn’t affecting you. Rather, it may simply be the shared context (in this case, having eaten together often) that triggers this synchronized response.
About contagious yawning, empathy, and social neuroscience research news
Author: Astrid Thébaud Guichon
Source: The Conversation
Contact: Astrid Thébault Guiochon – The Conversation
Image: Image credited to Neuroscience News
