Jul. 17, 2012  The Contagious Nature of Yawning  by Kara Rogers
Click to enlarge images Why yawning is contagious is unclear,
but scientists suspect that it is linked to empathy, the ability
to relate to another person’s emotions or feelings. This idea
has gained support from studies in humans and other animals,
including our closest primate relative, the chimpanzee. In a
recent investigation of chimpanzees, males were discovered to be
more susceptible to catching yawns than females, with the
implication being that empathy-based responses in chimpanzees
are driven by the male hierarchical structure of their
societies. In fact, as the researchers pointed out in the PLoS
One paper, in chimp societies yawning likely is important
specifically for rest-activity transitions, which are governed
in part by the emotional and arousal states of males at the top
of the hierarchy. Thus, the demonstration of empathy through
yawning contagion by inferior males may serve to not only
maintain or strengthen social bonds but a