Yawning is contagious across different species
Multiple studies demonstrate that yawning can be contagious across different species, with domestic animals, primates, and humans showing susceptibility to yawns originating from other species.
The retrieved literature robustly supports the claim that contagious yawning occurs across different species (interspecific yawning). Multiple studies show that dogs yawn contagiously in response to human models, humans report contagious yawning after viewing various animal stimuli, and primates exhibit cross-species or cross-agent yawn contagion. While domestic cats lack spontaneous interspecific yawn contagion under normal conditions, the overwhelming body of comparative evidence supports the claim.
Teresa Romero, A. Konno, T. Hasegawa. Familiarity Bias and Physiological Responses in Contagious Yawning by Dogs Support Link to Empathy. 2013. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0071365
Dogs demonstrate contagious yawning when observing humans, supporting interspecific yawn contagion.
Nobuo Masataka. Cannabidiol (Cbd) Elicits Contagious Yawning in the Domestic Cat, a Non-Social Species Lacking Spontaneous Contagious Yawning. 2026. https://doi.org/10.18805/ijar.bf-2079
Domestic cats do not naturally exhibit spontaneous contagious yawning in response to human caregivers unless administered CBD.
See more details
Andrew C. Gallup, Sabina Wozny. Interspecific Contagious Yawning in Humans. 2022. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12151908
Humans exhibit interspecific contagious yawning in response to yawns from various animals.
A. Gallup, Sabina M. Wozny. The Role of Empathic Concern and Gender on Interspecific Contagious Yawning in Humans. 2023. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13101700
Studies continue to provide evidence for interspecific contagious yawning between humans and household pets.
Luca Pedruzzi, Veronica Maglieri, Paolo Oliveri, Martina Francesconi, Rea Riccobono, Filippo Bigozzi, Alban Lemasson, Elisabetta Palagi. Inertia and Rapid Divergence in the Evolution of Yawning: A Comparison Between Two Closely Related but Socially Different Monkeys. 2025. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajp.70049
Different primate species show contagious yawning behaviors within and across social structures.
Pinaki Wani, Mayank Agarwal. The science of yawning: Exploring its physiology, evolutionary role, and behavioral impact. 2025. https://doi.org/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1677_24
Comparative studies confirm contagious yawning is observed across various animal species.
J. Ryan Porter, Steven Platek. In-group/out-group bias in contagious yawning. 2012. https://doi.org/10.1038/npre.2012.6875.1
Contagious yawning has been documented in a limited number of other species such as chimpanzees, macaques, and dogs.
R Joly-Mascheroni, B Forster, M Llorente, C Valsera, A Gomara, D Crailsheim, B Calvo-Merino. Chimpanzees yawn when observing an android yawn.. 2025. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-98639-z
Chimpanzees exhibit cross-agent yawn contagion when observing non-biological humanoid agents.
The paper trail · every fact has a biography
Challenge the receipt
Citation formatting by citeproc-js (Frank Bennett) and the Citation Style Language project. Source and licenses.
Terms · Privacy · How verdicts work · Dispute this receipt