Standard Theory: Memory-Based Determinants of Judgment and Action

Abstract This paper introduces Standard Theory, a descriptive framework for understanding how judgment and action emerge from memory-based structural constraints.Rather than treating judgment as an abstract rational process or action as an isolated decision outcome, Standard Theory models both as functions determined by the internal distribution, accessibility, and temporal organization of memory. Within this framework, standards are not externally imposed norms but emergent reference structures formed through accumulated memory. Judgment arises as a constrained selection process over these structures, while action represents the execution boundary defined by temporal and structural limits. The theory is non-normative and does not prescribe optimal behavior or ethical criteria. Its purpose is to provide a minimal structural description that unifies memory, judgment, and action under a single explanatory standard, enabling consistent analysis across individual, artificial, and system-level agents. This work is presented as a foundational preprint to establish conceptual priority and to invite open examination.