The Circulatory Structure of Mind Model: A Theoretical Integration of Dual Structure, Cognitive Dissonance, Narrative Formation, and the Need for Social Approval

Mitsuo Yasushi, Mariko Makino.

Abstract

This study proposes a theoretical framework—the Circulatory Structure of Mind Model—that explains how the human mind maintains itself while continuously regenerating internal contradictions. The model assumes that dual structures (e.g., private vs. public self; biological vs. narrative self) inherently produce contradictions, which are experienced as cognitive dissonance. Because dissonance is intolerable for the brain, cognitive biases are automatically activated to reduce it. These biases, being local distortions, are subsequently integrated into coherent narratives that provide meaning. The narratives are then presented to others and generate social approval, which stabilizes the external self, widens the gap from the private self, and ultimately reproduces the dual structure. Through these processes, the mind forms a circulatory system that sustains itself while continually
regenerating contradictions. Integrating findings from psychology, cognitive science, and social psychology, this study offers a new framework for understanding the persistence and recurrence of psychological burdens in psychosomatic medicine.