The Projection-Reality Divergence Persistence Theory (Prdpt)

The Projection-Reality Divergence Persistence Theory (PRDPT) is a proposed cognitive-systems framework for investigating whether and how a prior projection continues to influence post-event processing when an observed or verified outcome substantially departs from that projection. The motivating claim is broader than the persistence of a belief: a prior projection may influence attention, evidence selection, evidential weighting, causal attribution, interpretation, memory, belief updating, decisions, behavior, or subsequent projections, even when the person or system ultimately revises its original position. The framework distinguishes the actual event from accessible evidence, prior projection from realized outcome, residual influence from projection-consistent belief persistence, and ordinary interpretive continuity from demonstrable cognitive bias. Its default mechanism is the Reality-Divergence-Triggered Projection Carryover Mechanism (RDPCM). Its primary case is the Contrary-Reality Projection Persistence Case (CRPPC). The manuscript defines a construct registry, divergence taxonomy, operational measurement strategy, Bayesian normative comparator, Projection-Aligned Carryover Index (PACI), candidate subjective-updating model, and dynamic state-transition framework. It also specifies information-theoretic measures, cross-domain research roles, falsifiable hypotheses, rival-model comparisons, research-design requirements, and an A-Z manuscript-production roadmap. PRDPT is presented as a research proposal rather than a verified universal law. Related work on belief perseverance, biased assimilation, misinformation correction, and evidence evaluation provides a relevant research context, but does not establish that a single carryover mechanism operates in every person, task, or computational system. The framework's novelty, parameter validity, causal interpretation, predictive advantage, and cross-domain invariance must be established empirically.projection persistence; reality divergence; prior belief; evidence evaluation; belief updating; cognitive bias; Bayesian inference; information theory; dynamic systems; cybernetics; falsifiability