Summary: While yawning is a common occurrence in some species, why do we sometimes sigh when someone else does it? Although it is still unknown whether yawning increases head respiration, some evidence points to a possible connection between it and circadian rhythms and interest regulation.
Deadly snoring, found primarily in humans, is believed to provide as a form of non-verbal conversation, helping to integrate group conduct. Understanding why seeing one sneeze causes compassion and social interaction may be explained by mirror neurons, which activate during social interactions and copy.
Important Information:
- Deadly yawning may aid in synchronization of group behavior in people.
- Mirror cells, linked to compassion, are activated when observing a guffaw.
- Yawning’s connection to brain aeration is untested, but it may govern awareness.
Source: The Talk
After a hearty lunch at work, you and your co-workers go into a conference. One colleague begins by yawning, a second, and suddenly your turn. What is the scientific discussion regarding this given that there are numerous natural explanations for it?
Snoring is a common occurrence, observed in , many animal species, from wolves to parrots, and, of training, humans, from a very earlier age. But why do we typically sigh when we spot another person doing it?
Yaawning appears to be a required life mechanism, which has been present in so many varieties for so long. But what is its true goal? Whether it’s to hydrate the head, regulate body heat or provide a societal message, there is no shortage of theories, both among the general community and in the medical community.
The widespread idea that yawning increases oxygenation of the brain , has not been confirmed. Another justification suggests that yawning aids in keeping attention. Again, there is , no consensus on this either.
What seems more certain is the link between yawning and , circadian rhythm, our biological clock. The majority of yawns occur , at rest, generally concentrated around the phases of waking and falling asleep. More precisely, they occur when the body is less alert, as when it’s working to digest a meal.
A means of communication?
Although the reasons behind yawning have yet to be confirmed, it’s” contagious” nature is generating significant discoveries in various disciplines, both in biology and social psychology.
Yawning could play an important role in social interactions, as observed , in ostriches, which use it to synchronise group behaviour. As in humans, they often yawn when they shift from waking to resting, or vice versa. Then, yawning can act as a signal to indicate a change in activity or alertness, ensuring that all group members are alert or resting at the same time, promoting overall safety and maintaining the group’s rhythm.
However, the contagion of the yawn seems to be a predominantly human characteristic, with a few exceptions, such as , chimpanzees , or the , lion monkey. This specificity reinforces the idea that human yawning, over and above its purely physiological functions, is a means of non-verbal communication. The main theory is that yawning aids in group synchronization, a process similar to that found in ostriches.
Indeed, seeing or hearing someone yawn stimulates brain regions involved in imitation and empathy, thanks in particular to , mirror neurons. When a child follows his parent’s movements to tie her or his shoes, for instance, these neurons are activated by observing actions. However, certain brain regions are a part of neural networks that are specifically responsible for contagious yawning.
A predisposition to contagious yawning?
Empathy seems to play a significant role in the ability to tolerate yawning that is contagious. Individuals with social disorders, such as , autism , or , schizophrenia, seem less receptive to picking up yawning from others. Even Research  even shows that external factors like breathing and body temperature could, in turn, lower and raise contagious yawning.
This observation reinforces the idea that, in some cases, studies involve group observation. This dynamic could influence the observed frequency of yawning, suggesting that it is not necessarily seeing someone yawn that triggers the reaction, but rather the presence and interactions , within the group.
Therefore, it might be that not your colleague’s yawning is having an impact on you if you find yourself yawning when they yawn after lunch. Instead, it could simply be the shared context – in this case, having eaten well together – that provokes this synchronised reaction.
About this contagious yawning, empathy, and social neuroscience research news
Author: Astrid Thébault Guiochon
Source: The Conversation
Contact: Astrid Thébault Guiochon – The Conversation
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News
