is yawning really contagious?

My personal theory: Yawning is a result of lack of oxygen, either from fatigue, bad posture, or whatever... so when you yawn your body is taking a kind of superbreathe. now, when people are close together, talking to eachother (even on the phone) or looking at eachother we often unconsciously match our breathing rate to eachother. ever been hanging out with your best friend and were laughing at something, then you both stopped laughing and had a big happy sigh at the same time? or been snuggling with your sweety and you noticed you're both inhaling and exhaling together? yeah... that's what i mean. so when one person needs a superbreathe the other person body will also take a superbreathe because the other person is unconsciously following a similar breathe pattern. sounds good right?

Yawning is a psychological matter. Supposably its the body way to accept people. Its like smiling when you meet someone new. You cant help to smile back right?

Mythbusters actually tried to prove it and couldn't, but maybe part of the problem was they used images of people yawning rather than real people. I agree with you that yawns are catching - when one person yawns others will follow.

Yeah, the same thing happens to me too a lot. In fact, when I first read your post, it actually made me yawn just reading about it! haha Someone once told me that coughing is contagious too, and after I heard that, I started paying more attention and realized it's sort of true too. When I'm in a big lecture class, I notice that when one or two people cough, then all of a sudden it seems like a bunch of other people start coughing. It's pretty interesting.

As soon as i read this discussion title I wanted to yawn. I am serious i am still thinking about yawning and when i type the word yawn it really makes me want too. So Yes yawns are contagious now I will go yawn and leave this discussion