Yawning - sympathy or survival?

YAWNING: SYMPATHY OR SURVIVAL

Dulcie Everitt

Why Do We Yawn?

Yawning is speculated to be either:

• An involuntary reflex that cools the brain so that it operates more efficiently and keeps you awake
• A means of communication towards members of the same species
• In some animals it allows them to remain calm

Why Is Yawning Contagious? 

• The University of Albany suggests that yawning is an “Empathic mechanism which function to maintain group vigilance”, in other words, in dangerous situations groups can remain aware of the dangers to enhance the chances of surviving the situation
•  This was proven by an observation made at University of Maryland that paratroopers yawn before jumping...
• Psychopaths DO NOT yawn - is this a lack of empathy, or a chemical imbalance perhaps? 
• May have helped early humans to communicate and co-ordinate sleeping times
• Unconscious herding behaviour
• Duke University suggests that it is related to variables like empathy, tiredness or energy levels

Is This Natural Magic or Science? 

If it is sympathy then what is actually transferred between people? And why would this connection be necessary? 

• Natural connections between people of the same species? Energy frequencies? 

If it is science, where do we get this behaviour from? God or Evolution? (It occurs in many animals, not just humans - does this make a difference?) 

• Evolution: if it allows communication/increased alertness then it might be a feature of people who are more highly adapted to survival 
• Could evolution explain the fact that psychopaths do not yawn? I.e. because they are not suited to civilization and therefore die before they can reproduce? 

These questions remain puzzling and there are ongoing studies into the nature of this animal behaviour.