Contagious Yawning, Is it really that contagious?

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I'm wondering if this is really true because I don't usually get this with adults. But with children and animals I do get it. In fact I've just yawn at least 10 times just thinking about it.

I yawned when I saw the subject of this thread

I yawned reading this.

I've read that people will experience contagious yawning around those they identify with or want to be part of. I think that might be true, because I only experience it when my mother yawns or an animal I feel close to yawns, or when I read yawn related topics here on WP. I've yawned several times writing this.

I don't really get it with anyone. On occasion, but not very often.

Yes it happens to me sometimes. I gather contagious yawning has been used as a measure of empathy.

I've seen it enough and been affected by it enough that I'm quite sure it's true.

We had to take a test once in primary school and the subject of the passage we had to read was yawning. I read the article and there was enough scientific evidence to back it up. There was also physical evidence- my whole class was yawning so much and the teachers were so annoyed at us!

So..basically boredom. I can relate to that.

So it is selective. We might not catch it with just anybody else but we do get if we feel a connection to someone we are close to. Is this an introvert thing? Does this selective empathy apply to extroverts as well? Or maybe just an AS trait?

I mean it kinda makes sense, at least in my head it does. Considering that introverts rarely connect to people if they can connect at all, but are more likely to connect with pets and as for my case growing up baby sitting my younger siblings when they were young so to me connecting with children is an acquired trait. Extroverts on the other hand can easily make that connection to just about everybody so therefore has a greater chance of catching contagious yawning phenomenon.But I'm no expert and my research on the internet has been fruitless,so I might be wrong on this one but I'll keep on trying.

Mirror neuron reaction ---> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirror_neuron
I only tend to have this happen if I'm already tired. Me and my supervisor get this early mornings, because we're both tired, and in the same car.

weird...this tread feels like deja vu

I don't generally yawn when others do. I imitate my cat's yawning but it's not real. I haven't yawned reading/writing any of this.

Hmm, despite my previous comment, I get the urge to yawn every time I see this thread title. I'm guessing that's just because it's making me think about yawning.

Today on our way home from going out for supper and shopping, my mom and I both started yawning. Maybe it was the wet, grey weather or something, but then I said "Wait, I'm not supposed to be yawing because I have no empathy".

Maybe my yawning started mom's yawning. I don't really remember.