Psychology
Why do we yawn when we read about yawning?
Quick fact
Contagious yawning is linked to mirror neurons—brain cells that fire when you perform an action or see someone else perform it, creating an automatic imitation response.
Why this is interesting
Reading the word 'yawn' makes some people yawn—and even seeing someone yawn in a video triggers the same reflex, proving that yawning is a deeply wired social signal.