Okay Shiloh: Sit, Down…Yawn?

I’m sure you have heard that, “yawning is contagious” at one time in your life. Researchers believe that contagious yawning affects some 60% of humans and that it is based on empathy, or the ability to comprehend and interpret another’s emotions (Platek 2010).

Another recent study suggests that dogs may be able to “catch” your yawn. Twenty-five canines, breeds ranging from Pitbulls to Siberian Huskies to Greyhounds, yawned more frequently after seeing their owners performing a yawning movement with an “ah” sound than seeing their owners stretch their arms in silence. The dogs were also tested to see if yawning by an unfamiliar researcher would elicit the same response. Results showed the dogs yawned more frequently after seeing familiar yawns (owners) versus unfamiliar ones (researcher). The dogs’ heart rate and heart rate variable were monitored during trials and showed no significant difference between audible and silent yawns, ruling out the fact that the yawns were due to anxiety.

It is believed that contagious behaviors help to organize activities in groups and that this organization is advantageous for living in groups. Yawning may be an indication of bonding between dogs and humans, which may be linked to the fact that dogs pick up on human communication and social behaviors so quickly.

So if you happen to be a dog lover like I am go and try this remarkable thing: the next time your dog is looking you in the eye, let out an enormous yawn emphasizing the sound (the longer and louder the sound is more effective in my findings). If he or she reciprocates, it’s not due to being tired or sleepy, he or she is just saying, “I understand you.”

References:

Platek SM. Mar 2010. Yawn, yawn, yawn, yawn; yawn, yawn, yawn! The social, evolutionary and neuroscientific facets of contagious yawning. Frontiers of Neurology and Neuroscience. 28:107-112.

Romero T, Konno A, Hasegawa T. Aug 2013. Familiarity bias and physiological responses in contagious yawning by dogs support link to empathy. PLOS One. 8(8):1-8.