Itching is contagious?

To be exact, it is highly contagious. When you see someone scratch, you're likely to scratch, too. Just reading these words may have caused you to itch -- and then scratch. We've long known that laughing and yawning can be socially contagious. If you see someone yawn, you yawn. If you see a group of people laughing, chances are you will laugh. The same thing is true for scratching. Previously, researchers assumed this was all in our minds. Now researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri have proven that contagious itching is hardwired in the brain and not a form of empathy. They say it's an innate behavior and an instinct. The next time you scratch or yawn in response to someone else doing it, remember it's really not a choice nor a psychological response; it's hardwired into your brain.