No Evidence for Contagious Yawning in Juvenile Ravens (Corvus corax): An Observational Study

Gallup, Andrew C.; Schild, Anja B.; Ühlein, Markus A.; Bugnyar, Thomas; Massen, Jorg J. M.

doi:10.3390/ani12111357

Cited by 5 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 78 publications

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“…A further important feature linking yawning to social environment is the susceptibility to respond to conspecifics’ yawn with another yawn (yawn contagion) (Provine 2005 ). Yawn contagion has been extensively documented in human (Norscia and Palagi 2011 ; Palagi et al 2020 ; Provine and Hamernik, 1986 ; Provine, 2005 ) and nonhuman animals (birds, Miller et al 2012 ; social carnivores, Romero et al 2014 ; Casetta et al 2021 ; Ake and Kutsukake 2023 ; monkeys, Palagi et al 2009 ; Valdivieso-Cortadella et al 2023 ; great apes, Campbell and Cox 2019 ; Demuru and Palagi 2012 ) with some exceptions (birds, Gallup et al 2022 ; lowland gorillas, Palagi et al 2019a , b ). It has been recently demonstrated that yawn contagion can also occur between different species (Gallup and Wozny 2022 ; Pedruzzi et al 2022 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

More than a simple fixed action pattern: Yawning in drills

Galotti,

Fausti,

Casetta

et al. 2024

Primates

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In the last decade, increasing attention has been devoted to exploring some aspects of yawning in non-human animals. With their chin red mark, bony paranasal swellings, male large brains and long canines, drills (Mandrillus leucophaeus) offer a robust model for testing hypotheses on the phenomenon. We identified two yawn variants (covered, YCT and uncovered teeth, YUCT) which differ in terms of recruitment of muscular action units (AUs). We tested the effects of several variables (sex, dominance rank, context) on the duration of the yawn and the probability of YCT or YUCT occurrence. We found that males performed longer and more YUCT than females. These findings support the Brain Cooling Hypothesis suggesting that those species showing large brains tend to display larger and longer yawns. We also tested the State Changing Hypothesis predicting the presence of a temporal association of yawning and ongoing behavioral transitions. A sequential analysis revealed that after 30 s following a yawn, drills were significantly more likely to change their behavioral state. Through the observation of yawning, conspecifics might gain knowledge of impending state changes. Seeing other’s yawns increased the probability of a similar response in the observers, thus suggesting the presence of yawn contagion in drills. Although the dataset needs to be expanded, our findings indicate that yawning is variable in drills, it can be associated with subjects’ state changes, and the imminent shifts can be perceived/processed by conspecifics. Graphical Abstract

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

More than a simple fixed action pattern: Yawning in drills

Galotti,

Fausti,

Casetta

et al. 2024

Primates

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“…In particular, the reflexive tendency to yawn following the detection of yawns in others, i.e., contagious yawning, is a well-documented phenomenon that may serve to enhance vigilance and synchronization in groups [ 19 ]. Distinct from physiologically triggered yawns, which are ubiquitous in vertebrates, there is a great deal of variation across species when it comes to the tendency to yawn contagiously [ 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In particular, budgerigars have been shown to yawn in response to both live demonstrators and visually recorded conspecifics [ 43 , 44 ]. However, a recent study found no evidence for contagious yawning among juvenile ravens [ 23 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interspecific Contagious Yawning in Humans

Gallup

Wozny

2022

Animals

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Contagious yawning, or the reflexive tendency to yawn following the detection of yawning in others, is well-documented among humans and a growing number of social vertebrates. While the most common form of yawn contagion occurs between conspecifics, some non-human animals in captivity have been reported to yawn in response to yawns from human handlers/caregivers. The current research sought to provide the first formal investigation of whether people yawn contagiously in response to yawns from non-human animals. In addition, this study aimed to test whether this response was modulated by phylogenetic relatedness and domestication/social closeness. A total of 296 participants from Amazon Mechanical Turk self-reported on their yawning behavior following exposure to a (1) control (non-yawning) condition or a compilation of yawning stimuli either from (2) fish, (3) amphibians, (4) reptiles, (5) birds, (6) non-primate mammals, (7) apes, or (8) domesticated cats and dogs. The results provide strong support for interspecific yawn contagion. However, neither the propensity to yawn (binary) nor total yawn frequency varied significantly across interspecific conditions. Overall, these findings suggest that the mechanisms governing yawn contagion can be activated by varied forms of yawning stimuli, including those from distantly related and unfamiliar species.

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Yawn Contagion and Modality‐Matching in the Female‐Bonded Society of Geladas (Theropithecus gelada)

Pedruzzi,

Oliveri,

Francesconi

et al. 2024

American J Primatol

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Behavioral contagion is widespread in primates, with yawn contagion (YC) being a well‐known example. Often associated with ingroup dynamics and synchronization, the possible functions and evolutionary pathways of YC remain subjects of active debate. Among nonhuman animals, geladas (Theropithecus gelada) are the only species known to occasionally emit a distinct vocalization while yawning. Yet, the role of different sensory modalities in YC remains poorly understood. Due to their social and communicative complexity, geladas serve as an excellent model for investigating the effects of multimodality and social factors on behavioral contagion. Here we studied a large zoo‐housed colony of geladas (103 subjects, 1422 yawns) and confirm the previous evidence for visual and auditory YC. Hearing, seeing, or hearing and seeing yawns significantly triggered contagious yawning at comparable levels. Additionally, we found no evidence of laterality influencing responses based on the side of detection. While the social bond, measured via grooming, between the trigger and receiver did not correlate with YC, a consistent sex effect emerged. Females responded more frequently to female than to male yawns and were more likely to match modality (i.e., vocalized vs. nonvocalized) and mirror morphology of other females' yawns. Effective female‐female communication and affiliation are crucial for maintaining cohesion and fostering strong intra‐unit relationships among geladas. Our results underscore the importance of different sensory components in the distribution of YC, particularly for species living in complex social systems. These findings raise further questions about the functional and emotional significance of yawning and potential inter‐sexual differences, suggesting that the phenomenon is more complex than previously thought.

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No Evidence for Contagious Yawning in Juvenile Ravens (Corvus corax): An Observational Study

Cited by 5 publications

References 78 publications

More than a simple fixed action pattern: Yawning in drills

More than a simple fixed action pattern: Yawning in drills

Interspecific Contagious Yawning in Humans

Yawn Contagion and Modality‐Matching in the Female‐Bonded Society of Geladas (Theropithecus gelada)

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