Researchers uncover the mystery behind the spread of the eerie howling phenomenon
Spreading the Yawn Virus: How Mirror Neurons Make Us Imitate
Jump into a 3-meter radius circle when someone starts yawning, and chances are, you'll soon find yourself joining the club. That's the fascinating power of yawning - it's highly infectious.
Take a peek at this intriguing study led by the University of Pisa, Italy, about the yawning epidemic. The researchers visited various public places, such as restaurants and offices, and observed groups when someone started yawning. They measured the time it took for someone to yawn in response to the "initiator." Guess what they found? An incredible 90% of the time, within three minutes of someone yawning, someone else would catch the "yawn virus."
The Secret Behind the Yawning Phenomenon
So, what's the trick behind this mysterious yawning phenomenon? According to Andrew Gallup, a professor of behavioral biology at Johns Hopkins University, the answer lies in mirror neurons. These fascinating brain cells, Gallup explains, react to other people's actions, turning yawning into an irresistible contagion.
Think of it as a social mechanism passed down through evolution. Opening our mouths and making those unmistakable sounds helps mobilize those around us, boosting our group's vigilance. When we see and hear others yawn, areas of our brain associated with visual attention and threat recognition become active, as supported by MRI data.
But there's another theory out there - one that suggests people synchronize their actions by yawning together, creating a harmonious alignment of activities and behaviors. The mystery still remains unsolved.
Yawn Mirroring - a Form of Unconscious Mimicry
Reflecting on mirror neurons, Gallup sheds light on their role in unconscious mimicry. Mirror neurons, as Gallup puts it, are responsible for transmitting "emotional infection," beyond just yawning. From grimacing when you see someone biting a lemon to nodding sympathetically in response to trouble, mirror neurons play a big part in this unconscious mimesis.
Even our furry friends are not immune to this phenomenon. Dogs often yawn in response to their owners, reinforcing the connection between their emotional bond and yawning.
Tying the Knot: Couples and Yawning
In an unusual twist, the same Italian scientists who studied yawn contagion found a unique method for measuring romantic feelings between couples or partners. All it takes is just a few minutes.
The faster someone yawns in response to their partner yawning, the stronger their romantic feelings. Unsurprisingly, married couples and people in intimate relationships are the most responsive. Researchers even created a table based on the yawning timeline, with a yawn within 30 seconds indicating intense feelings, within a minute - strong, within two minutes - moderate, and within three minutes - less intense.
If your partner doesn't yawn within three minutes after your yawn or fails to yawn at all, don't jump to conclusions quite yet. It's best to repeat the test a few times to verify if there's a genuine issue.
By the same token, it's unfair to instantly accuse your partner of infidelity if they quickly respond to a yawn from an attractive stranger. After all, statistical norms can't always account for exceptions. Moreover, studies show that animals like dogs and chimpanzees respond to human yawns as well.
Yawning and Cooling Down the Brain
Once a simple, physiological explanation for yawning has intrigued scientists like Andrew Gallup. According to Gallup, yawning helps cool down an overheated brain by directing cool air from the lungs and extremities to the brain. When we deeply inhale and widen our mouths, the blood flow to our face and neck decreases, allowing the cooler blood from the lungs and extremities to replace the warmer blood in the brain.
This process becomes less frequent in colder temperatures.
By the Way
Refreshing Yawns
Asya Radetsky
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- Mirror neurons, as discovered by science, are the hidden catalysts behind the contagious nature of yawning.
- Elisabetta, a researcher from the University of Pisa, has found that couples who yawn in sync with each other may share strong romantic feelings.
- Intriguingly, mirror neurons are not limited to human behavior; they also regulate yawning in dogs and other animals.
- Yawning can be considered a form of unconscious mimicry, as it is often triggered by observing someone else yawning.
- According to Andrew Gallup, a professor of behavioral biology at Johns Hopkins University, yawning assists in cooling down an overheated brain by allowing cooler blood to reach the brain.
- In attempts to better understand yawning, researchers have used social media, books, and even health-and-wellness, fitness-and-exercise, mental-health, and entertainment platforms to study its effects and implications.
