Use 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.

1 answer

To answer the question about why yawns are contagious, one can infer that yawning might serve as a form of social communication among individuals. The article suggests that yawning may be linked to empathy and social bonding, as people are more likely to yawn in response to seeing someone else yawn. This inference is supported by the observation that contagious yawning occurs more frequently among individuals who share a close relationship, indicating a potential evolutionary benefit in promoting group cohesion. Thus, the reasoning that yawning enhances social connections is logical and valid, as it aligns with the observed patterns of behavior and the biological underpinnings of empathy in humans.