Scientists have discovered that yawning is not only contagious among humans, but dogs can also pick up a yawn. The team of researchers from Birkbeck College, University of London, created two conditions in which a stranger sat in front of a dog and was asked to call its name. Both conditions were five minutes long, but one group had to yawn once the dog had make eye contact with them, whereas the control group opened and closed their mouth without yawning.
The study found that 21 out of 29 dogs yawned in response to the stranger yawning. Whereas the group of yawning dogs yawned an average of 1.9 times, no dogs yawned in the control group. The researchers are claiming the study shows that dogs have the capacity to empathise with humans, with Dr Senju commenting that ‘Dogs have a very special capacity to read human communication. They respond when we point and when we signal’.
The study also referred to evidence that autistic people are less likely to yawn in response to another person’s yawn, suggesting that contagious yawning displays an ability to empathise.
Study Shows Yawning is Contagious Among Dogs Too
Thu, 07 Aug 2008
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