StructuralCognition Theory:Emotional Dynamics and the Recursive Generation of Thought

This preprint presents a unified, process-level framework that defines thought as a recursive loop composed of three component principles. Emotional preconditioning (EWSM): Emotional dynamics provide preconditions for thought by determining an emotional state E(t) and constraining cognitive bandwidth B(t). Probabilistic thought generation (softmax-based formulation): Within the constraint imposed by E(t) and B(t), thought is defined as a probabilistic state generated over candidate representations. Experiential update and structural accumulation (CEEM): Realized transitions are incorporated into cognitive structure through local reinforcement, decay, and maintenance, yielding accumulated cognitive edges that bias subsequent constraints and generation. By explicitly modularizing these components, the paper provides a process-level definition of thought and a reproducible template for implementation, comparison, and systematic testing, while leaving domain-specific instantiations and empirical applications as future work.