Yawn Contagion and Modality-Matching in the Female-Bonded Society of Geladas (Theropithecus gelada).

ABSTRACT: Behavioral contagion is widespread in primates, with yawn contagion (YC) being a well-known example. Often associated with ingroup dynamics and synchronization, the possible functions and evolutionary pathways of YC remain subjects of active debate. Among nonhuman animals, geladas (Theropithecus gelada) are the only species known to occasionally emit a distinct vocalization while yawning. Yet, the role of different sensory modalities in YC remains poorly understood. Due to their social and communicative complexity, geladas serve as an excellent model for investigating the effects of multimodality and social factors on behavioral contagion. Here we studied a large zoo-housed colony of geladas (103 subjects, 1422 yawns) and confirm the previous evidence for visual and auditory YC. Hearing, s

SUBMITTER: Pedruzzi L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11652820 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature