Is Yawning Contagious?

After the turkey, the mashed potatoes, the gravy, the cranberry chutney, and the pie, one person at your Thanksgiving gathering will make the inaugural yawn. Will it be you? Will you set the trend or merely be a follower? Once the yawning commences, someone will blame the tryptophan in the turkey. Another will acknowledge all the hard work that went into preparing the meal. Whatever the cause, it really doesn't matter. Once one person yawns, it's hard to stop. Between 40 and 60 percent of the population find yawning contagious. Yawn. Read the word three times in a row, and you'll be tempted to do it. If you see or hear someone else yawning, it becomes all the more difficult to ... read more