Research Method: Is Yawning Contagious?

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A study made by the popular television series MythBusters tries to decipher the puzzling circumstances around yawning, and to prove whether or not yawning can easily be passed from one person to the next. Throughout the ages, yawning is perhaps one of the more known mysteries of human nature, letting the action be linked to a tiring atmosphere, boredom, or an evolutionary trait, the circumstances behind yawning has proven to be an anomaly.

From the episode, the group forms the hypothesis that yawning can be contagious, and build an isolated waiting room with recording devices, a two-way mirror, and a hidden camera to monitor the test. Then, they gather an audience of nine strangers (independent variable), and one of the testers places themselves in the room, purposefully spreading the “yawning sickness” (dependent variable).

The control, or the independent variable of the test, is the group sitting patiently in the room, and while they are not allowed to talk, are measured on the the times they yawn. However, ten minutes passed, and not a single yawn was recorded.

Then the dependent variable was introduced, the group is given a clipboard with tax laws, letting ten minutes pass once again to record the results. Eight and a half were recorded from one person, while five and a half yawns were shown in the rest.

While the results were promising, the variables between the amount of volunteers and the studied time were constant, it can perhaps be a weakness to the test. If the stimuli and the allotted time within the studies could be changed, then they could get a more accurate set of results.

However, with the dependent variable proven successful, MythBusters made the logical conclusion to confirm that yawning is contagious. In conclusion, yawning in of itself is relatively unpredictable, and even if the group was able to record a reasonable amount of yawns, many people can assume that yawning will still remain a mystery, waiting to be properly studied and solved.