Yawning

Have you ever seen someone yawn, and a few seconds later yawn yourself? It is often said that yawning is contagious, and in a sense, this is true. Recent studies have shown that yawning can be a sign of empathy towards people, such as family and friends. The research shows people yawn more often when the person they see yawning is a family member, and much less often if a person is a complete stranger. They say that seeing a person yawn triggers multiple brain functions, such as imitation, movement, and social behaviors. This trigger is overstimulated if the person is someone you care about, thus causing a yawn.