Event Title
Faculty Mentor
Shawn McCabe
Major/Area of Research
Psychology
Description
In many cases, operant learning procedures follow regimented methods of
measurable behaviors such as responsiveness to cues and reactions to the
consequences that follow. Recently it has been recognized that subjective
traits such as feelings or disposition still affect the responsiveness of the
subject and must be taken into consideration. However, certain techniques
such as those described in Polyvagal Theory could be the key to affording
receptive and compliant behaviors in the subject, even when they previously
were noncompliant. Proposed by Stephen Porges, Polyvagal Theory is
broken into three stages of the vagal system. When we suddenly encounter
a stranger, the first stage may be to freeze, where we experience decreased
movement while we evaluate the situation. We then enter ìfight or flightî,
where our body increases our metabolism and heart rate in order to prepare
us to face the threat, in combat or escape. The last phase is a socially receptive
state into which we transition if we are able to relax. Porges proposed
that Polyvagal Theory could thus explain why many people afflicted with
Autism Spectrum Disorders can display developmental disabilities as they
encounter problems throughout the transitory moments of the polyvagal
system and are unable to transition into receptive social states necessary for
learning and interaction. We are currently evaluating the writings of Stephen
Porges and Peter Killeen in order to formulate a concrete connection
between Polyvagal Theory and Killeen’s theory on Affordances in order to
develop a new approach to Applied Behavioral Analysis practices and therapies.
Included in
Polyvagal Theory
In many cases, operant learning procedures follow regimented methods of
measurable behaviors such as responsiveness to cues and reactions to the
consequences that follow. Recently it has been recognized that subjective
traits such as feelings or disposition still affect the responsiveness of the
subject and must be taken into consideration. However, certain techniques
such as those described in Polyvagal Theory could be the key to affording
receptive and compliant behaviors in the subject, even when they previously
were noncompliant. Proposed by Stephen Porges, Polyvagal Theory is
broken into three stages of the vagal system. When we suddenly encounter
a stranger, the first stage may be to freeze, where we experience decreased
movement while we evaluate the situation. We then enter ìfight or flightî,
where our body increases our metabolism and heart rate in order to prepare
us to face the threat, in combat or escape. The last phase is a socially receptive
state into which we transition if we are able to relax. Porges proposed
that Polyvagal Theory could thus explain why many people afflicted with
Autism Spectrum Disorders can display developmental disabilities as they
encounter problems throughout the transitory moments of the polyvagal
system and are unable to transition into receptive social states necessary for
learning and interaction. We are currently evaluating the writings of Stephen
Porges and Peter Killeen in order to formulate a concrete connection
between Polyvagal Theory and Killeen’s theory on Affordances in order to
develop a new approach to Applied Behavioral Analysis practices and therapies.