Why are yawns contagious?

[ensonik]

It's a genuine phenomenon that everyone on the planet observes regularily. One person yawns, and then another person(s) immediately yawns thereafter. It happens over the phone as well. Is there a scientific explantaion for this?

[Dapthar]

Is there a scientific explantaion for this?

If all the people are in the same room, they are most likely are all reacting to the same stuffy conditions in the room.

 

As for yawns being 'transmitted' over the phone, my guess is that its probably just psychological.

 

(Source: http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_309.html)

[ensonik]

If all the people are in the same room, they are most likely are all reacting to the same stuffy conditions in the room.

 

No, one yawn triggers the next. I'm curious what causes this.

 

As for yawns being 'transmitted' over the phone, my guess is that its probably just psychological.

(

 

Well it's not physical, so yeah. But I'm curious what psychology would account for an immediate involuntary reaction triggered by a sound over the phone.

[AzurePhoenix]

Just reading about it, I had to yawn twice. Oop, here I go again...

[Hellbender]

I have read that it is an extension of herd or social behavior.....

[ensonik]

I have read that it is an extension of herd or social behavior.....

 

I suspect it's something along those lines. I guess what I'm hearing is that there are no conclusive explanations for the phenomena.

[AzurePhoenix]

I've heard that no one really knows yet.

[ydoaPs]

according to Mythbusters, yawns aren't contagious

[AzurePhoenix]

They're liars. Walk into a classroom or something, watch it for a while, and then start yawning. Poeple who weren't yawning will start to, and you'll see that mythbusters is wrong.

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

Walk into a class and cough. In a minute, everyone will. That's because they're intentionally doing it to irritate the teacher.

 

It is quite possibly psychological.

[Guest Lucie Lou]

Yawns are contagious cuz in prehistoric times it was the only form of communication, i.e. yawning was our primary method of...well, talking i guess, and we still have it implanted into our subconscious, like an evolutionary-type survival thing. Does that make sense? I'm kinda rambling a bit, but I went on this site n i saw this yawn query so I thought I't answer it - I can't remember how I know this though...just one of those random bits of useless info u pick up!

[Phi for All]

From an article in Scientific American:

You are correct in thinking that yawns are catching. Seeing, hearing or thinking about yawning can trigger the event, but there is little understanding of why it is contagious. A number of theories regarding the genesis of yawning have been presented over the years. Some evidence suggests that yawning is a means of communicating changing environmental or internal body conditions to others.

 

http://www.scientificamerican.com/askexpert_question.cfm?articleID=00074524-85CD-1D51-90FB809EC5880000