Affective Dogma: A Neurodevelopmental Hypothesis of Reflexive Rewriting

This paper proposes a neurodevelopmental and phenomenological model of affective imprinting as the basis for automatic responses later misinterpreted as truths.It suggests that emotional experiences during early critical periods become rigidperceptual filters, which—when unidentified—form the foundation of cognitive distortions and reactive behavior. By reviewing evidence from developmental neuroscience, affective psychology, and memory reconsolidation research, this work aimsto outline the conditions under which such dogmatic reactions may be consciouslyrestructured. The resulting synthesis offers both an explanatory framework andtherapeutic implications for emotional flexibility and cognitive autonomy.