why do u yawn when u see someone else yawn.?
400568
It is not known y yet, and haven't been proved scientifically until now. But I think there might be some sub-concious mechanism in the brain leading to this.
914960
YAWN . . . . . \n\nBORING . . . . . \n\nAsk new question now.....
361765
Not really sure---but just seeing the word yawn made me yawn--Thanks alot---yawns again---wonders about yawns--yawns again-- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yawn Why are yawns contagious? Getting kind of tired-- http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_309.html-- Why do we yawn? http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/yawning.html A yawn reasearcher? http://psychology.drexel.edu/ECNL/  Huh? Sorry must be groggy--Pictures of animals yawning --Oh No-- yawning out of control-- http://www.animalyawns.com/ all this reading about yawning ---YAWNS deeply--- I'm getting so sleepy ---  It's hard to keep my eyes open--z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z
292528
Yawns usually occur because you have some lack of oxygen, usually when you are growing sleeping and not breathing properly. When a person yawms next to you, you usually stop breathing yourself, thus triggering a "contagious yawn." Need to prove this false? Next time you see someone yawn, be concious of it and make yourself take a deep breath. You wont get that contagious yawn!
222830
There could be a multitude of reasons. Yawning is caused by a lack of oxygen to the lungs. You yawn because it allows an immense amount of oxygen to your lungs.
1057558
It is possible that yawns are contagious because at one time in evolutionary history, the yawn served to coordinate the social behavior of a group of animals. When one member of the group yawned to signal an event, all the other members of the group also yawned. Yawns may still be contagious these days because of a leftover response (a "vestigial" response) that is not used anymore. None of this has been proven true and yawns are still one of the mysteries of the mind.\n\nAlso,\n\nThe reason yawns are contagious? Power of suggestion perhaps. If you're out late with your friends after school, you're probably tired. You're probably on the verge of a yawn, too, and seeing one person do it is enough to drive everyone to yawns.
300748
WHen you see another person yawning, the message goes across your brain that may be you too needs more oxygen and in attempt to get more air in, you open your mouth wide open, your lungs expand and you yawn. That's why it's called reflex yawning
249771
Compounding the mystery is the odd way in which the contagious power of yawning is largely unconscious. We can see someone yawn, yearn to replicate the action ourselves, and do it, all without thinking about it. Other times we’re aware it is happening, though it still floats somewhere beneath the realm of reason and of purposeful actions.\n\nSo what gives? In an effort to find the answer, the Finnish government recently funded a brain scanning study. The results turned up some hard-to-interpret, possible clues. It also confirmed the obvious: yawn contagion is largely unconscious. Wherever it might affect the brain, it bypasses the known brain circuitry for consciously analyzing and mimicking other people’s actions.\n\nThis circuitry is called the “mirror-neuron system,” because it contains a special type of brain cells, or neurons, that become active both when their owner does something, and when he or she senses someone else doing the same thing.
604697
lolol...yawns are contagious..u just made me yawn reading ur question...brat!!!
213862
Why we yawn when we see others yawning has baffled scientists for ages and a number of suggestions have been put forward to explain this phenomenon. What we do know is that yawning is an involuntary action- our brain does it without us thinking about it, even very young babies yawn showing that it's a built in action (Chimps do it too by the way). Just thinking about yawning can trigger the bit of the brain that causes a yawn.  http://www.ratlab.co.uk/yawn.htm\n\nMore theories can be found at the links below:
470027
Not sure... Never did have yanws...\n\nA Yawn:The yawn reflex is often described as contagious: if one person yawns, this will cause another person to "sympathetically" yawn.[2] The reasons for this are unclear; however, recent research suggests that yawning might be a herd instinct.[3] Other theories suggest that the yawn serves to synchronize mood behavior among gregarious animals, similar to the howling of the wolf pack during a full moon. It signals tiredness to other members of the group in order to synchronize sleeping patterns and periods of activity. It can serve as a warning in displaying large, canine teeth, thus proclaiming, "don't attack while I am sleeping..." The contagion of yawning is interspecific (i.e., try yawning in front of your dog). Ironically, yawning in public is generally regarded as impolite in the West, but came into fashion in polite French society for a brief period in the late 18th century. Oddly, sometimes sympathetic yawning may be caused by simply looking at a picture of a person or animal yawning, or even seeing the word "yawn".
198710
When you yawn, you are attempting to take in as much air as possible, more oxygen gives more energy.  People in the immediate area are in competition for this air too and yawn as a response to retrieve air themselves
526472
I learned somewhere that this is a survival thing--if you are yawning, there might be a lack of oxygen or you are about to need a lot of oxygen.  Your yawn alerts others so they supply themselves with oxygen as well.
680125
Here's a theory. Yawning can be caused by lack of oxygen, and if a bunch of people are in the same room which is poorly ventilated (no windows open, no air conditioning, or it's a stiflingly hot room) they could all yawn because of this, as they are all in the same place.\n\nEither that or they are all tired! :D
422922
It is also believed to be linked to social bonding.\n\nExperiments with chimps have shown that they also yawn when another chimp yawns.  Also videos (night video) in caves, where there is no light, where a certain species of monkey sleep - shows that they all yawn audibly before going to sleep.  Kind of a way of letting everyone know that they're there, even though they can't see each other.\n\nThis has probably carried through to humans.\n\nHave a look at http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Science/Question117042.html\n\nor\nhttp://webperso.easyconnect.fr/baillement/contagion-platek.html
17567
Yawning is one of those bodily mysteries that scientists haven't completely figured out yet.  The best theory I could find was that you yawn because you're not getting enough oxygen to the brain (maybe there is a lack of oxygen in the space you're standing).  Whenever you're aware of someone yawning, it activates a reaction in your subconscious mind that acts as a threat response.  Basically, whenever you see someone yawn, it makes you body think there is a shortage of oxygen too, and you yawn in response.  No one knows if this is actually the case, but I think that it is a good theory.
330313
This is science.\n\nWhen you yawn, it is because your brain lacks oxygen and need to get more oxygen. This is done by yawning where you inhale deeply to take in more air and oxygen. \n\nWhat you mentioned is especially true, especially in crowded places or enclosed palces.\n\nWhen you yawn, you take in large amount of air from the surrounding, depriving the other of the oxygen. Thus, the others will need more oxygen too. So, they yawn to take in more air. And when they yawn, they take in even more air from the surrounding and the others will have to yawn to get sufficient oxygen.\n\nOne yawn will spark off a chain reaction of yawning.\n\nUnderstand now?