The polyvagal perspective
Also known as The Polyvagal Perspective, Porges (2007)
Stephen Porges's 2007 paper giving an explicit statement of the polyvagal theory
At a glance
What it argues
A system, not a balance, Three circuits, Dissolution
See all 3Key ideas
Neuroception, The vagal brake, Face and heart are linked …
See all 4Examples from the paper
Borderline personality disorder, Depression
See all 2Criticism and limits
Evolution, Measurement, Reptiles are social too
See all 3Read next
The Polyvagal Theory, Polyvagal theory
See all 2Connections
Stephen Porges and Polyvagal theory
See all 2
Also on this page: Key facts · Links · Sources · Related pages
- The paper states the polyvagal theory explicitly and introduces a polyvagal perspective for research.
- It describes three circuits that evolved in order: immobilisation, mobilisation, and social engagement.
- They respond in a hierarchy, newest first, with older circuits taking over when newer ones fail.
- A process called neuroception is proposed to judge safety or danger without awareness.
- It then challenges what it calls discipline myths about measuring cardiac vagal tone.
Why it matters
- A widely cited, free statement of a theory many trauma therapists use.
- Pair it with the critiques, which target exactly these premises.
Key facts
- Author
- Stephen W. Porges1
- Published
- February 20071
- Journal
- Biological Psychology, vol. 74, no. 2, pp. 116–1431
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2006.06.0091
- PMCID
- PMC18684181
- Design
- Theoretical review: a statement of the theory and a reading of the research literature through it1
- Cited by
- 2,033 articles in Europe PMC (October 2026)1
What it argues
-
A system, not a balance1
The autonomic nervous system should be studied as a system of circuits whose reactions are adaptive in light of vertebrate evolution.
-
Three circuits2
Social communication relies on the myelinated vagus, mobilisation (fight or flight) on the sympathetic system, and immobilisation on the older unmyelinated vagus.
-
Dissolution2
Following Hughlings Jackson's principle, the newest circuit responds first and older ones take over as it fails.
Key ideas
-
Neuroception2
A proposed process that decides whether features of the environment call for fight-flight or social engagement, possibly involving the temporal cortex.
-
The vagal brake2
The myelinated vagus can quickly inhibit or release its hold on the heart, calming or mobilising a person.
-
Face and heart are linked2
The vagal regulation of the heart is tied to the nerves controlling the muscles of the face and head.
-
Social disorders2
Disorders with compromised social behaviour, such as autism or schizophrenia, may reflect state regulation that favours defence over engagement.
Examples from the paper
Criticism and limits
-
Evolution3
Grossman and Taylor (2007) found no evidence that the dorsal motor nucleus is evolutionarily older than the nucleus ambiguus, and reviewed evidence against it.
-
Measurement3
They also argue respiratory sinus arrhythmia is not a reliable marker of vagal tone, since breathing and sympathetic activity affect it too.
-
Reptiles are social too3
Doody, Burghardt and Dinets call the theory’s split between asocial reptiles and social mammals incorrect.
Read next
-
Porges's 2011 book collecting this and his other papers.
-
The overview page, with the full criticism.
Connections
Links
Sources
Last checked against its sources today
Is something on this page wrong or out of date? Tell us
The line under a date fills as time passes: empty when new, then one equal share each for a day, a week, a month and a year. For episodes and other items it is full at 2 years; for "last checked", at a year. A striped line means the date is known only to the month or year.