Cognitive Integrity Under Interruption: A Structural Model of Idea Degradation and Output Variability

This paper presents a structural model of cognitive integrity within the Paton System, describing how alignment between cognitive state and intended output governs performance. The framework models cognition as a continuous system in which coherence is maintained through alignment and degraded through interruption and competing constraints. Cognitive alignment is defined as the degree of structural coherence within the system. Output quality is proportional to alignment, while defusion increases as alignment decreases. Interruptions, negative inputs, and internal load introduce competing constraints that reduce alignment, resulting in degraded output and increased variability. The paper formalises cognitive performance as a constrained system rather than a purely psychological or behavioural phenomenon. It demonstrates how interruption-driven degradation arises from structural misalignment and constraint overload, and provides a minimal model for understanding variability in cognitive output. The framework aligns with the broader Paton System by representing cognition as an internal instantiation of admissibility and tolerance-based continuation. It does not introduce new psychological constructs but provides a structural interpretation of existing observable behaviour.