Measurement Without Reductionism: Operationalising Coherence in Human Systems

Measurement Without Reductionism introduces a non-reductive framework for operationalising coherence in human systems across personal, relational, organisational, and societal scales. Rather than treating coherence as a single measurable variable, the paper proposes a multi-register, phase-sensitive, and scale-aware approach that integrates first-person (phenomenological), second-person (relational), and third-person (physiological and behavioural) forms of observation. The framework distinguishes clearly between indicators, proxies, interpretations, and claims, reducing common errors such as reductionism, over-interpretation, and moralisation. It emphasises triangulation, temporal patterning, and context-sensitive interpretation rather than static or single-variable measurement. Drawing on dynamical systems theory, allostatic load, predictive processing, process-based therapy, and field-based psychology, the paper provides a practical methodology for assessing coherence without collapsing human complexity into narrow metrics. The paper forms part of an ongoing research programme in field-based psychology, following: Field-Based Psychology: Registers of Inquiry in Consciousness Studies Psycho-Thermodynamics: A Functional Model of Load, Rhythm, and Coherence in Human Systems The Coherence Cycle: A Cross-Scale Process Model of Stabilisation, Destabilisation, and Reorganisation in Human Systems Together, these works aim to establish a coherent, non-reductive framework for understanding human systems across domains.