With all the buzz about social networking, it crossed my mind that you might like to know more about the biological system that supports social interaction–the social engagement system. A deeper understanding of the neurophysiology of our life-long drive to connect with others gives us insight into our behavior in relationship to another and can even help us manage our stress response to positively impact our health and well-being.
I was first introduced to Stephen Porges’ concept of the social engagement system (SES) while in graduate school, studying John Bowlby’s theory of attachment (how infants are hardwired for connection). Porges discussed what every mother or primary caregiver already knows, that infants are driven to engage and communicate from birth onward. This primal drive is controlled by Cranial Nerve X, known as the vagus. The vagal nerve is special because it has two nuclei, the ventral vagal complex and the dorsal motor nucleus. Here are the functions assigned to each nuclei that make social engagement possible:
Ventral Vagal Complex Dorsal Motor Nucleus
Orienting (turning head) Focusing on something new
Facial expression Inhibits digestion
Vocalizing Oxygen conservation
Supports digestion Slowed heart beat
Paces the heart Freeze response
Are you surprised to learn how many functions and behaviors are mobilized during social engagement? I was amazed! Now, let’s briefly illustrate this by reflecting on a typical infant-mother interaction because what happens in this first social relationship is thought to influence a child’s socioemotional development and capacity for smooth interaction with others later in life.
The baby signals its needs and emotional state to mom using sound and facial expressions such as crying, grimacing, vocalizing, smiling, and wide-eyed expressions to initiate engagement. An attuned mother often anticipates the needs of her infant and responds in a contingent manner, matching the baby’s facial expression and sounds. Mother is actually regulating her baby’s undeveloped nervous system, soothing the infant, and restoring or reinforcing a positive emotional state. As the baby’s needs are met, it begins to relax and baby and mother may re-engage playfully. This brief interaction is the dance of engagement. In the next post we will explore Porges’ assertion that there are only three possible neurologically-driven behavioral responses available to us in any given social situation.
Questions to ponder: What have you become aware of as you engage with others socially? Do you pick up cues like vocal tone, facial expression, or even body stance? Do you sometimes find yourself matching the other person’s emotional or mental state?
Please feel free to share your comments on this topic.