M-RFT Coherence Metric

A persistent challenge in contemporary consciousness research is understanding how multiple layers of human functioning—from biological regulation to personal narrative—interact to support a coherent sense of self. While existing approaches have quantified neural and physiological features, fewer methods attempt to characterize their dynamic alignment. The M-RFT Coherence Metric is proposed as an initial step toward quantifying this integrative dimension.

Building on the C0–C4 architecture established in RFT (Avanzo, 2026), this study examines whether variation at the symbolic layer (C3) may be associated with changes in multiscale regulation. The central question is whether the introduction of structured epistemic scaffolding—formalized as Epistemic Synchrony (Kₑ)—is associated with reductions in systemic uncertainty, shifts in neural regulatory dynamics (C2), and measurable changes in physiological indices (C1). If such associations are observed, they may be reflected in longitudinal variations in the coherence of self-experience (C4).

The M-RFT Metric was developed through an iterative process of theory-building, grounded in a longitudinal N-of-1 pilot study that employed a neurophenomenological framework (Varela, 1996) and analytic autoethnography. By integrating the roles of researcher and subject, this approach allowed for the systematic documentation of physiological symptoms, reactive behavioral patterns, and cognitive-symbolic shifts. These observations were organized along a spatiotemporal timeline, tracking changes in perceived internal coherence under varying conditions of stress and informational load.

A central observation during this investigative process was the apparent relationship between the structured organization of knowledge and shifts in internal regulatory dynamics. This led to the hypothesis that the acquisition of higher-order symbolic structure may function as a stabilizing constraint on lower-level biological and neural variability. These preliminary insights were subsequently formalized into the M-RFT Metric, which is proposed here as a heuristic bridge to explore the potential correlations between Epistemic Synchrony (Kₑ) and the coordination of systemic dynamics under conditions of informational uncertainty.

The M-RFT metric treats Epistemic Synchrony (Kₑ) as a potentially modulable variable. The protocol is designed to test whether structured epistemic interventions — scaffolding that links somatic signals to narrative context — are associated with measurable shifts in M-RFT across biological, neural, and experiential domains.

The formal mathematical specification and full research implementation are presented in a separate technical framework and can be provided upon request. The following hypothetical scenario is offered to clarify how structured self-knowledge may function as an epistemic tool within the M-RFT framework.

The M-RFT metric represents an attempt to move beyond the description of fragmentation toward its measurement. By treating Epistemic Synchrony (Kₑ) as a potentially manipulable variable — introduced at the symbolic layer and tracked across biological and neural indices — this framework opens a tractable research pathway into the dynamics of self-coherence under conditions of informational entropy.

The ‘João’ case study illustrates a localized mechanism: the possibility that structured epistemic scaffolding functions as a top-down constraint, associated with reductions in systemic noise (F) and enhanced individual stability. This observation raises a critical research question: if integrative processes are strengthened at the individual level, to what extent might these effects manifest across different spatiotemporal scales? This invites rigorous investigation into whether stabilization at the individual level correlates with more consistent patterns of organization across biological, neural, and socio-environmental domains.

The subsequent section evaluates the scope of the M-RFT across clinical and everyday contexts, alongside the empirical requirements necessary to formally assess these cross-scale implications.