Corpus |
Home
Evaluative Monitoring and Access to Intense Positive
Affect
The Minimal Z-Reduction Task
Author: Florian Morin
Year: 2026
Type: Protocol
Version: June, 14, 2026
Version history
June 14, 2026: current version
v2.0.3.1: Minor corrections
v1.0: Initial release.
Abstract
The Minimal Z-Reduction Task (M-ZRT) is a minimal monitoring-disruption probe designed to test a falsifiable prediction: access to a distinct positive affect regime ("ease") may occur through threshold-like transitions when evaluative monitoring and micro-optimization processes are sufficiently destabilized.
Main Claim
Strong and stable joy exists as a baseline very early in life, but becomes progressively blocked by a monitoring process. If entry happens once, the state becomes the baseline again. Therefore, the task asks to curb self-pursuit, monitoring, and next action certainty.
Count as "joy": Lasting increased olfaction, increased visual vividness, chest pleasure reacting to prediction errors and small visuals, and sudden stronger reaction to music. Out-of-task generalization after 48h.
Targetting a Few Components of Cognitive Rigidity
The task is about allowing non-instrumental moves to occur in a session and therefore in a day. The aim is to allow a more permissive configuration to emerge, instead of being stuck forever into the same administrative, task-oriented one.
Conceptual role
M-ZRT operationalizes the entry conditions proposed in the broader ease framework. Rather than amplifying reward, the task targets performance monitoring. The central hypothesis is that monitoring acts primarily as an access constraint during regime entry.
Predicted transition signature
A valid M-zrt effect is defined by a discontinuity signature:
- Repeated clean failures prior to first access.
- Abrupt onset rather than gradual amplification.
- Qualitative distinctness from ordinary mood or arousal.
- Cross-context generalization within 24 hours.
Minimal outcome logging
- Daily access (0/1)
- Latency to entry (minutes)
- Duration (minutes)
- Intensity (0 to 10)
- Context
Predictions inconsistent with the framework
- Monitoring load does not affect entry probability.
- Entry probability scales primarily with performance or winning.
- Reports are indistinguishable from ordinary arousal or mood elevation.
Download
Download PDF
What Prevents Joy: Z
Do not search visually for occasions. Searching visually, is already an optimization.
Perturbations List
In A FPS Game
If possible, no thought at all, no mental imagery, just a blank mind, while doing the task with a video game, low level difficulty, and HUD off, if possible.
You can also briefly try:
Thought Without Owner
Briefly experience a thought as simply occurring, without emphasizing that you are producing it: 'A thought appeared'.
You are not in a mission to win. Perturbations are short (instant/2 seconds) and spaced-out (10-40 seconds).
Perturbations:
Changing direction
Direction is used toward a goal or to explore, to reach something. One tries to anticipate the best path.
Briefly changing direction for no reason breaks that optimization.
Just a sip
One often drinks what one needs to satiate.
Briefly taking only one sip breaks that optimization.
Stop just before
When one sees a game bonus, he will take advantage and automatically take it.
Briefly aborting and ignoring the bonus when one walks closely to it breaks that optimization.
Switch to a lower weapon
Briefly change weapons to something ordinary or just no the best.
No Result at the Exit
When leaving, do not decide whether the session was successful. Let it remain one session among others.
Micro movement
A little, unrhythmic, not-pretty movement that does nothing, breaks movement optimization.
Stop Agency
Briefly see your hands movements as it happened instead of being the author.
Arbitrary Importance
Often, importance is justified by use, meaning, or value.
Briefly label an ordinary item on your desk or in-game as important. Don't search for it visually, peripheral vision is good.
Switch to a Music Video, Instead of focusing on the main singer, briefly look at an irrevelant background detail.
Every 24h is good, for a few days.
How to cite
Morin, Florian, Evaluative Monitoring and Access to Intense Positive Affect: The Minimal Z-Reduction Task Framework (June 06, 2026). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=6888300 or https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.6888300
Archived versions
BibTeX
@article{morin2026mnut,
title = {Evaluative Monitoring and Access to Intense Positive
Affect: The Minimal Z-Reduction Task
}
author = {Morin, Florian},
year = {2026},
url = {https://florianmorin.com/papers/Minimal-Z-Reduction-Task
DOI = dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.6888300
}
Back to corpus