The Structural Cognitive Topology Assessment (SCTA): A Structural Framework for Mapping Recursive Integration, Cognitive Continuity, and Admissibility Geometry

Traditional psychometric systems primarily measure processing speed, symbolic manipulation, working memory, pattern recognition, and localized abstraction under constrained conditions. While valuable, these methods largely assume a modular cognitive architecture in which logic, emotion, creativity, systems reasoning, and interpretation operate semi-independently. This paper proposes an alternative framework: the Structural Cognitive Topology Assessment (SCTA). The SCTA treats cognition not as a flat quantitative metric, but as a dynamic structural topology composed of recursive integration, continuity maintenance, compression, interruption reconstruction, cross-domain translation, admissibility filtering, cognitive load distribution, somatic-spatial processing, and environmental continuity coupling. Rather than producing a single IQ score, the SCTA generates a multidimensional cognitive topology profile describing structural compression, recursive synthesis, interruption resilience, continuity preservation, overload geometry, environmental load sensitivity, and systemic vulnerability trade-offs. The framework introduces the concept of Recursive Layer Integration Density (RLID), defined as the number of simultaneously interacting representational layers a cognitive system can preserve coherently before overload, fragmentation, or continuity collapse occurs. The SCTA does not propose a hierarchy of human worth or superiority. Instead, it models cognition through differing topologies, load distributions, environmental couplings, and continuity-maintenance requirements. The framework therefore operates as a structural cognitive cartography system rather than a replacement for existing psychometric or clinical methodologies. Keywords: cognition; recursive integration; RLID; continuity; topology; psychometrics; environmental coupling; structural compression; interruption resilience; admissibility; somatic-spatial cognition; systems theory; neurodiversity; cognitive topology; continuity preservation