The Structural Constructivist Case for the Core Emotion Framework: Resolving Theoretical and Methodological Pathologies in Affective Science

Affective science is fractured across three incompatible paradigms—basic emotion theory, dimensional models, and constructed emotion theory—each of which fails to provide a coherent, mechanistic account of emotional phenomena. The Core Emotion Framework (CEF) offers a structural‑constructivist alternative grounded in contemporary neuroscience and formal operator theory. The CEF models emotional episodes as dynamic sequences of ten functional operators distributed across three somatic‑cognitive centers (Head, Heart, Gut), with a global integrative operator (Accepting). This architecture replaces categorical and dimensional approaches with a mathematically constrained operator space that preserves identity boundaries, supports real‑time state transitions, and aligns with distributed neural processing, interoceptive signaling, and allostatic control. The framework also provides a structural account of psychopathology through chronic operator fusion, exemplified in the GoodPerson Anxiety Pattern (GPAP). Empirically, the CEF introduces a scenario‑based measurement method that avoids linguistic confounds and supports a ten‑factor latent structure. The result is a unified, falsifiable, and computationally interoperable model that resolves longstanding theoretical and methodological pathologies in affective science.