Susceptibility to contagious yawning is correlated with the speed in recognizing one's own face, theory of mind processing, and is also associated with activation in regions of the brain that have been associated with social cognitive processes.

Dogs can catch yawns from other dogs, and from humans. Like us, they can catch a yawn in person or just from seeing or hearing one. And like humans, dogs are more likely to catch yawns from people or other dogs they know, suggesting that empathy plays a role in contagious yawning for dogs too.

In fact psychologists have proven that the more empathetic you are, the more likely you are to yawn when someone else does. There has been fascinating research about the hierarchy of this suggestion. If you are very close to a person emotionally, you will yawn if they do.

Excessive yawning may mean that you are tired, drowsy, or fatigued. However, it can also be a sign of a medical condition, such as sleep apnea, narcolepsy, or a reaction to a medication. If you find you are yawning excessively, it may be best to schedule an appointment with a doctor to determine the cause.