Observing someone scratch often induces contagious scratching in humans.
the verdict
SUPPORTED
the evidence backs this
confidence 88/100
Observing someone scratch or discussing the sensation of itch reliably induces contagious scratching behavior in humans and other primates.
Evidence for · 3
Contagious itch: what we know and what we would like to know
2015 · cited by 100
Paper 6 reviews evidence that observing people scratch or discussing itch evokes the desire to scratch, a phenomenon known as contagious itch.
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More for · 2
Monkey See, Monkey Do: Contagious Itch in Nonhuman Primates
2013 · cited by 59
Paper 9 confirms experimentally that viewing visual stimuli of others scratching significantly increases scratching behavior.
Brain Processing of Contagious Itch in Patients with Atopic Dermatitis
2017 · cited by 35
Paper 11 demonstrates that experimental video stimuli showing people scratching successfully induce both subjective itch and physical scratching behavior.