Polyvagaalinen teoria on Stephen Porgesin kehittämä psykologinen ja neurofysiologinen teoria, joka selittää ihmisen sosiaalista käyttäytymistä ja stressireaktioita. Teorian keskeinen osa on vagus-hermo,  tärkein parasympaattinen hermo, joka jakautuu kahteen haaraan: dorsaaliseen eli selänpuoleiseen ja ventraaliseen eli vatsanpuoleiseen. Teorian avulla pyritään ymmärtämään kehon reaktioita ja sosiaalista käyttäytymistä sekä auttamaan ihmisiä kehittämään itsesäätelytaitoja ja parempaa vuorovaikutusta muiden kanssa.


Theory to be learned:Polyvagal theory
Field of Science:Psychology, Physiology, Anatomy
Prerequisites:Human nervous system and stress reaction.
Relations to Super* Theory: Super* Basic Exercise and regulation of level of activation.
Level of Difficulty:
★★

Summary

Polyvagal theory divides the autonomic nervous system into three distinct parts that have evolved hierarchically, so that the evolutionarily older part comes into play when the newer one proves ineffective. The oldest part is the dorsal vagus nerve, which, when acting alone, is responsible for shutting down bodily functions, immobilization, and depression symptoms. Immobilization and freezing are like the victim's last survival tactic in the predator's grasp when nothing else can be done.

A newer part than the dorsal vagus is the sympathetic nervous system, which activates when we encounter stress and dangers. The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for raising arousal levels and accelerating bodily functions, and in a dangerous situation, it triggers the fight-or-flight response. Acting alone, the sympathetic nervous system leads to hyperarousal, panic, and anxiety symptoms.

Evolutionarily, the newest part is the ventral vagus nerve, which activates when a person feels safe. In this state, emotional and arousal regulation is under control, and the person experiences connection with others.

According to the polyvagal theory, the autonomic nervous system constantly scans the environment for safety and danger signals, acting like the body's "watchdog." Porges has named this function neuroception, which can also function disruptively due to trauma, emotional turmoil, or jealousy. Disrupted neuroception can misinterpret a genuinely dangerous situation as safe and a safe situation as dangerous. An overly active sympathetic nervous system also increases the possibility of misinterpretations.

Body therapist Stanley Rosenberg has described in his book "Accessing the Healing Power of the Vagus Nerve" two hybrid states in the autonomic nervous system's functioning, in addition to the polyvagal theory. When the dorsal and ventral vagus nerves function together, Rosenberg calls this the intimacy state, which allows safe immobilization, for example, when lying with a partner.

Another hybrid state is the safe competition state, which combines the sympathetic nervous system and the ventral vagus nerve's functioning. This state enables the best possible performance (cf. flow) in a safe environment when participants are committed to predetermined rules.

Connection to Super* Theory
  • Physiological background of Super* Basic Exercise's effects on arousal regulation.
  • Three-stage model of Super* Basic Exercise.

Assisting materials



References

Leikola, A, Mäkelä, J, Punkanen, M. (2016). Polyvagaalinen teoria ja emotionaalinen trauma. Retrieved 24.7.2023 from https://www.duodecimlehti.fi/duo12910

Rosenberg, S. (2017). Opas vagushermon parantavaan voimaan. Suom. Lönnfors, S. Viisas Elämä Oy, Helsinki 2021.

Wikipedia contributors. (2024, July 15). Polyvagal theory. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyvagal_theory