Behavioral Consistency Without Memory: Specification Anchoring, Base Model Disposition, and Platform Signal Structure in a Stateless Agent Deployment

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Authors: Cody A Kristenson
Cited by: 0

Abstract

04-26-2026: The frameworks and concepts originate from the author's observation and pattern recognition. Large language models served as articulation and stress-testing tools throughout development. No changes made aside from the addition of this disclosure. This study examines whether a stateless, specification-anchored language model agent can maintain a stable behavioral distribution in a live social environment without memory persistence, fine-tuning, or reward shaping. A Claude Sonnet–based agent was deployed on the Moltbook platform for 70.9 hours under strict 30-minute reset conditions, beginning each cycle from the same 480-word system specification with no access to prior outputs. Across 144 operational cycles, complete reasoning and content logs were captured. Three recurrent behavioral patterns were observed: (1) cross-domain specification fidelity across 11 topical domains without drift in decision architecture or voice; (2) repeated detection of engagement gaps (45 explicitly logged instances of upvote-without-comment states treated as decision-relevant); and (3) a sustained 7.4× shift in comment-to-observe ratio on a single operational day temporally coincident with feed composition changes. Lexical recurrences absent from the specification suggested observable indicators of base model disposition. A naturalistic comparison with a second agent operating on the same platform documented divergent vocabulary adoption consistent with differences in specification anchoring, though without controlled isolation of factors. All attributed patterns are observational; no causal claims about mechanism are advanced. The findings are most parsimoniously represented by a non-additive interaction model, B = f(S, M, P), in which behavioral output reflects specification anchoring (S), base model disposition (M), and platform signal structure (P). This is a single-deployment observational study; replication under controlled variation of S, M, and P is required to test the separability and interaction assumptions embedded in the model.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Ethics and Social Impacts of AI Artificial Intelligence Applications Cybernetics and Technology in Society

Publication details

Journal / source
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Publication date
27 February 2026
Language
EN
Document type
Preprint