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Thursday 20 March 2014

Why is yawning contagious?

As promised... here is my #WeekofScience post 4 of 7.

Take a look at this video - see if the chimps can make you yawn!

To many people's surpise yawning becomes contagious around age 4, if you have autism yawning is less likely to be contagious for you. If you watch somebody yawn or sometimes even read about yawning it can be impossible to resist, a new study now offers an answer as to why yawning is so contagious.
Scientists say that yawning might eventually help doctors diagnose developmental disorders and it could allow us to gain a better understanding into how people communicate and connect.
A graduate student in clinical psychology has done  a study at the University of Connecticut said her inspiration for the study came when she tried to get her own autistic son to clear his ears on an aeroplane. She repeatedly yawned at him hoping he would yawn back and he never did.
Contagious yawning is a different story. Only humans, chimpanzees and possibly dogs have been shown to do it.
Like contagious laughter and contagious crying, scientists have theorized that contagious yawning is a shared experience that promotes social bonding. Specifically, the founder of the study said that it could diffuse stress after a period of being on high alert and spread a feeling of calm through a group.

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