News · 8 February 2026
Why do we yawn when we see someone else yawn?
Scientists have long studied why yawning spreads from person to person, with research pointing to a primitive brain mechanism linked to empathy and social bonding. Studies from the University of Nottingham found that contagious yawning is triggered by the primary motor cortex, the brain region responsible for automatic reflexes. People with higher empathy levels tend to “catch” yawns more frequently. Interestingly, even dogs can catch yawns from their owners, reinforcing the deep evolutionary roots of this involuntary social mirroring behaviour.
Reported by The Conversation · How we write briefs