title: Familiarity-connected or stress-based contagious yawning in domestic dogs (Canis familiaris)? Some additional data.
abstract: The present short note aimed at further exploring data from a recent study showing socially modulated auditory contagious yawning in domestic dogs (Canis familiaris). Two independent observers further extended the analysis of all video recordings made in the previous study and coded both the number of yawns performed by the dogs and the frequencies or durations of stress-related behaviors exhibited throughout the presentation of familiar and unfamiliar yawns. By showing no significant difference between conditions in the frequencies or durations of the coded behaviors, nor any association between the number of yawns and the frequencies or durations of stress-related behaviors, results raised doubt on the stress-induced yawn hypothesis, thus supporting social modulation. The exact mechanism underlying contagious yawning, however, needs further research.
authors: Departamento de Ciências do Comportamento, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Largo Prof. Abel Salazar, 2, 4099-003, Porto, Portugal, cssilva@icbas.up.pt.
authors: Karine
authors: K
authors: Silva
authors: Joana
authors: J
authors: Bessa
authors: Liliana
authors: L
authors: de Sousa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004285:Dogs / Q000523:psychology*; D007100:Imitative Behavior; D021641:Recognition, Psychology; D012918:Social Alienation; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D015000:Yawning