8. Some Scientists Think Empathy Explains Contagious Yawning
Empathy is an emotional response in which we identify with the emotions and reactions of the people around us. There are neurological reasons why we have understanding, one of which is the presence of mirror neurons.
Mirror neurons are brain cells that cause us to imitate what other people are doing. If you are sitting next to someone who is crossing her legs, you are more likely to also close your legs, out of empathy. If you see someone yawning, your empathy response may kick in and cause you to yawn, as well.