October 19, 2013

CHIMPANZEES AND YAWN CONTAGION


New research from Lund University, Sweden, has shown for the first time that chimpanzees catch yawns from humans, and that the susceptibility to contagious yawning develops gradually with age – just like it does in humans.

VIDEO STORY
While juvenile chimpanzees (5-8 years of age) catch human yawns, infant chimpanzees seem immune to yawn contagion. Aside from humans, cross-species yawn contagion has previously only been demonstrated in dogs.