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Sep 12, 2007

"When you yawn, chances are someone else will too.
Ever notice how the same, for a smile holds true?" --Anonymous

Yawning: A Sign of Empathy

A susceptibility to contagious yawning may actually be a sign of a high-level of social empathy. Although many species yawn, only some humans and possibly their close animal relatives find yawning infectious, suggesting the reason is psychological. "Contagious yawning is a very interesting behavior," said Dr Catriona Morrison, a lecturer in psychology who is leading the work."You don't need a visual cue, you don't even need an auditory cue -- you can just read about it or think about it and it gets you going. "We believe that contagious yawning indicates empathy. It indicates an appreciation of other people's behavioural and physiological state," she added.