Why is yawning contagious?
Suggestibility
, explained.What is Suggestibility?
Suggestibility refers to how susceptible we are to altering our behavior based on the suggestions of others.
Where this bias occurs
People are considered suggestible if they act or accept suggestions based on the input of others. We range in our suggestibility, with factors causing suggestibility including our self-esteem, age, upbringing, and assertiveness.1
Suggestibility can be seen in many instances, especially among children, as they are more likely than adults to accept new information in a non-critical fashion. An example of suggestibility can be noted in the recounting of a fight or argument at a children’s school. Witnesses to the fight may initially think the fight was not serious. After hearing someone describe the conflict using language that framed it as a violent affair, they may alter their recollection and unknowingly distort their memory.
Another example of suggestible behavior seen in our everyday life is contagious yawning.2 Contagious yawning is the act of multiple people yawning after observing a single person yawn. Yawning is an example of suggestibility because we are influenced by the behavior of others without conscious awareness.2
