Question

se this excerpt from the "Why are yawns contagious? We asked a scientist" article to answer the question.

Based on the information in the article, make a logical inference about why yawns are contagious. In 3–5 sentences, provide specific evidence from the text to support your inference and explain why your reasoning is logical and valid.

Answer 1

To infer why yawns are contagious, it can be suggested that yawning serves a social or communicative function among humans and other animals. The article mentions that yawning may help synchronize group behavior, as observed in social animals. This suggests a biological or evolutionary advantage to yawning in groups, which could explain its contagious nature. If one member of a social group yawns, others may feel the urge to yawn as well, promoting alertness and cohesion within the group, which is a logical response to enhance survival. Thus, the evidence points to the idea that yawning is not just an individual reflex but also plays a crucial role in social bonding and interaction.