The self is increasingly understood in contemporary cognitive and psychological research not as a static substance but as a dynamic "gestalt"—a complex, processual pattern in constant interaction with its environment. Traditional reductionistic approaches are limited in explaining this dynamic. In response to this challenge, this article introduces the Resonance-Inference Model (RIM). This meta-theoretical framework integrates concepts from synergetics, predictive processing, and fractal affect logic to explain the self-organization of the mind. It conceptualizes psychological disorders as rigid, pathological patterns and therapeutic change as a phase transition to a more flexible state. A central aspect is the active, formative role of the narrative self-pattern, which catalyzes sustainable transformations through the revision of the internal predictive model. This is complemented by a spiritual dimension, understood in the context of Frankl's logotherapy and Längle's existential analysis as a higher-level, value-based predictive model. The RIM thus offers a holistic perspective that is not limited to symptom relief but enables the reorganization of the self for a coherent and meaningful life.
Gerd Leidig (Mon,) studied this question.