• Question: Why do people yawn and why is it that only five year olds plus can catch a yawn?

    Asked by vickyadams to Christina, Colin, Jess, Samaneh, Steve on 14 Jun 2013.
    • Photo: Christina Pagel

      Christina Pagel answered on 14 Jun 2013:

      Hi Vicky!

      That’s a really interesting question… and very topical – it’s only been recently shown that young children can’t catch yawns… and also that other animals *do* catch yawns (e.g. dogs, chimps…).
      I don’t think they know for sure why young children are immune, but I suspect it might because to catch a yawn you have to understand that when someone else yawns it means they are tired and that triggers a response in you.

      So I reckon that children under 5 don’t yet understand that other people have thoughts different to themselves, so don’t see that someone yawning means they’re tired….

      By the way, it’s still very controversial to say that yawning means you’re tired!! apparently it might mean all sorts of other things!!

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