Contagious yawning can be annoying, but it might also be a sign of good social skills. It's a type of emotional contagion, a phenomenon in which we tend to share the feelings of people around us. Scientific American MIND editor Sandra Upson explains in our latest Instant Egghead video.
More to explore:
Ingroup-Outgroup Bias in Contagious Yawning by Chimpanzees Supports Link to Empathy (PLOS One)
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Credits:
Written & presented by Sandra Upson
Production assistant: Joss Fong
Produced & edited by Eric R. Olson