A giant panda yawns atop a branch at the Wolong Giant Panda Sanctuary in Sichuan Province. (Photo : REUTERS)
Readers who failed to yawn at the picture above have higher chances of being psychopaths. Recent research findings conclude that not catching a yawn is related to psychopathic tendencies.
One hundred thirty-five students underwent personality tests which measured their levels of cold-heartedness. Following the survey, they were shown videos of people yawning. The researchers from Baylor University in Texas published the findings in the journal "Personality and Individual Differences."
Yawning is generally contagious. If an average person sees another person yawning, he is most likely to follow the action unconsciously. Contagious yawning in humans, wolves, dogs, chimps and baboons is a manifestation of empathy, Irish Examiner reported.
Psychopaths, characterized by being less sympathetic, yawn less. Nonetheless, the study warns that there could be other reasons for not yawning.
According to neurologists, psychopaths share common traits. The frontal lobes of their brains have lower activity levels.
Persons with psychopathic tendencies exhibit less empathy towards other individuals. Potential psychopaths exposed to violence at a young age are most likely to commit crimes later on in their lives.
A potential psychopath who grew up in an ideal environment is less likely to commit crimes but will remain less empathetic. This person may get bored in weddings and funerals.
In November 2013, a neurologist, who studies Psychopaths, subjected his own brain for scanning. He found out that he was a psychopath. Fallon shared the news to his wife, who was unsurprised by the discovery. While Fallon never killed or raped anyone, he was unsympathetic towards kids. He dislikes weddings and funerals and he his aggressively competitive.
Fallon underwent a series of genetic tests. He discovered that he had high-risk alleles for aggression, violence, and low empathy. Additionally, his family line included seven alleged murderers, including Lizzie Borden, infamously accused of killing her father and stepmother in 1892.
Nonetheless, Fallon did his best to live a normal life and become more sociable, Smithsonian Mag reported.
