Stephen W. Porges

Stephen W. Porges, Ph.D., is an American scholar and professor of psychiatry and biomedical engineering. He served as director of the Brain-Body Center at the University of Illinois in Chicago. In 1994, he developed polyvagal theory, which examines the relationship between the autonomic nervous system, social behavior, and the development of social bonds. The theory also addresses possible connections with physical and psychological disorders and behavioral problems.