Yawning

Anhedonia2
Anhedonia2 Community Member Posts: 456 Empowering
in Coffee lounge

I can't even think the word 'yawn' without involuntarily yawning, and once I start I get stuck in a loop of it (as I'm doing now lol). Does everyone yawn when they see other people yawn?

There was a yawning task in Traitors last week which was replayed a little last night and it was awful for me, I've always caught them and can't help but yawn even when thinking it, even typing now I'm yawning.

Does anyone NOT catch yawns? I always wondered why it happens because it actually gets so bad for me it becomes painful and I get jaw ache and can't stop.

Is anyone as bad as me and yawns even reading it?

Comments

  • Rosie_Scope
    Rosie_Scope Posts: 9,819 Scope online community team

    Oh no, I yawned while reading this @Anhedonia2! I'm the same as you where even reading or thinking about it sets me off, let alone if someone else is yawning nearby!

    I remember reading an article once saying that only other animals with complex social systems have the same contagious yawn reflex. So maybe there's some science in that about mimicking others or reacting to a change in environment alongside everyone else. But I can't remember whether there was any great consensus on what it means if you don't find them contagious. I'll have to do some reading I think!

    Definitely interested to hear everyone else's experiences anyway!

    And I can't stop now! I'd be immediately dead in that Traitors challenge 😄

  • Anhedonia2
    Anhedonia2 Community Member Posts: 456 Empowering

    I think I made a mistake making this discussion, the notification popped up, I saw the word 'yawning' and instant yawn 🤣

    Yep, I was watching that challenge like… I'd be goneeeee. If I was one of the traitors everyone would spot it because I'd have been yawning too much too they'd have thought it fake.

    Sorry for all the yawns!

  • Anhedonia2
    Anhedonia2 Community Member Posts: 456 Empowering

    Oh and I'd definitely like to know more about what it may mean if you find them super contageous so if you find anything I'd love to read it @Rosie_Scope!

  • Rachel_Scope
    Rachel_Scope Posts: 5,417 Scope online community team

    You got me @Anhedonia2! If I remember correctly from my psychology A-level many many years ago, it's associated with social empathy. So maybe if you're more empathetic you're more likely to yawn? I could be completely wrong, I look forward to reading what you find @Rosie_Scope!

  • Anhedonia2
    Anhedonia2 Community Member Posts: 456 Empowering

    I'm completely regretting this post (not really), but the notification did it to me again @Rachel_Scope 🤣

    If its linked to social empathy why does even reading the word make me yawn? 😫

  • Rachel_Scope
    Rachel_Scope Posts: 5,417 Scope online community team

    Yep it did the same to me 😂 Hmm I don't know. Maybe that's a different part of your brain in action? It's a great discussion but I can't stop yawning!

  • OverlyAnxious
    OverlyAnxious Community Member Posts: 6,491 Championing

    I haven't yawned reading this thread…

    Think I did yawn once watching that Traitors task, but I don't catch them easily, and don't stuck in any sort of loop. (Unlike hiccups - which I can have for hours at a time!)

  • Rachel_Scope
    Rachel_Scope Posts: 5,417 Scope online community team

    You're lucky @OverlyAnxious, I can't stop 😆

  • justj74
    justj74 Community Member Posts: 221 Contributor

    Just thinking about that Traitors challenge sets me off!! I’d love to know why some people are affected and others aren’t

  • Rosie_Scope
    Rosie_Scope Posts: 9,819 Scope online community team

    I did quite a bit of reading about this, but the answer seems to be that we just don't know why it happens to some people more than others. So that's really unsatisfying! Somebody needs to do some more studies! Come on Scientists, get to it 😋

    But I did read somewhere that the reflex to yawn doesn't need to be triggered by visually seeing it happen. Thinking about it or reading about it is enough to trigger off the reflex for lots of people as it's all connected to your neural messaging system! Interesting stuff!

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