Why do we yawn when we see someone else yawn?
In: Biology
It’s still a bit of a mystery, but some scientists believe it had to do with social mirroring. You see someone do something and your neurons say “that looks nice, I should do it too.” So if you see someone scratching, you might feel an itch as well. Or the need to clear your own throat when you hear someone talking while they clearly need to do that exact thing.
These behaviors are instinctual in a lot of animals in order to form social bonds. Common feelings bring about commonality, which then brings about safety in a group. Like minds, you see, at the smallest level.
With this social construct, the more mirroring you see in a person, the more empathetic they are. This is why if I’m getting to know someone, and they do not yawn when I do, RED FLAGS for me tbh.
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