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

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, seeing, or hearing and seeing yawns significantly triggered contagious yawning at comparable levels. Additionally, we found no evidence of laterality influencing responses based on the side of detection. While the social bond, measured via grooming, between the trigger and receiver did not correlate with YC, a consistent sex effect emerged. Females responded more frequently to female than to male yawns and were more likely to match modality (i.e., vocalized vs. nonvocalized) and mirror morphology of other females' yawns. Effective female-female communication and affiliation are crucial for maintaining cohesion and fostering strong intra-unit relationships among geladas. Our results underscore the importance of different sensory components in the distribution of YC, particularly for species living in complex social systems. These findings raise further questions about the functional and emotional significance of yawning and potential inter-sexual differences, suggesting that the phenomenon is more complex than previously thought.