Experience Reporting

iAm's core function is capturing subjective experiences as they occur. This page explains the three-layer model for experience data and the concept of simultaneous experience through aggregates.

Terminology Note

In the documentation we use the terms Experience Instance and Unique Value for clarity. In the codebase and database schema, these correspond to the Manifestation and Abstract node types respectively.

The Three-Layer Model

Experience reporting uses three interconnected layers to capture, normalize, and classify each reported experience.

Layer 1: Experience Instance (The Raw Report)

An Experience Instance (Manifestation in the codebase) captures exactly what the observer typed, said, or input.

• Content: The raw value as entered (e.g., "I'm thinking about lunch")
• Timing: Multiple timestamps capturing input behavior (begin, end, submit)
• Metadata: Valence (positive/negative/neutral), observed cause (willful/automatic), session context
• Index: Position within the session's temporal sequence

Layer 2: Unique Value (The Normalized Value)

A Unique Value (Abstract in the codebase) creates a standardized version of the experience instance.

• Content: Processed value following format rules (e.g., "i'm thinking about lunch" -- trimmed, lowercased)
• Function: Enables grouping of similar experiences across time and observers
• Relationship: Multiple Experience Instances can link to the same Unique Value

Layer 3: ExperienceTypeVersion (The Definition)

An ExperienceTypeVersion provides semantic meaning and measurement rules.

• Content: Phenomenological definition of what constitutes this experience type
• Format rules: How values should be formatted (text, picklist, markdown)
• Valence settings: Whether positive/negative/neutral tracking is enabled

The Library Catalog Analogy

Layer	Analogy
Experience Instance	The specific book instance you checked out on Tuesday
Unique Value	The canonical book title that groups all copies/editions
ExperienceTypeVersion	The Dewey Decimal classification for the book's category

Aggregates: Simultaneous Experience

Consciousness is not linear -- we often experience multiple things at once. An Aggregate groups multiple Experience Instances that occur simultaneously.

For example, during a measurement session an observer might simultaneously experience:

• A verbal thought ("I wonder what time it is")
• A bodily sensation (tension in the shoulders)
• An emotion (mild anxiety)

An Aggregate captures this co-occurrence without losing the distinctness of each component. Aggregates maintain their own FOLLOWED_BY chain parallel to the Experience Instance sequence.

The Reporting Flow

1. Observer begins Session
    |
2. Experience arises
    |
3. Observer inputs report
    |  beginInputTimestamp recorded
    |  ... typing/speaking ...
    |  endInputTimestamp recorded
    |
4. Experience Instance created
    |
5. Unique Value found or created
    |  (normalized version of the value)
    |
6. Unique Value linked to ExperienceTypeVersion
    |  (semantic classification)
    |
7. If simultaneous experiences exist:
    |  Aggregate groups the Experience Instances
    |
8. FOLLOWED_BY link created to previous Experience Instance
    |
9. Return to step 2 (awaiting next experience)

Valence Tracking

Each Experience Instance can include a valence assessment -- the felt bodily or emotional tone accompanying the experience:

Valence	Description
Neutral	Calm, flat, neither pleasant nor unpleasant
Positive	Ease, joy, warmth, openness in the body
Negative	Unease, irritation, tension, anxiety

Valence refers to the direct felt experience in the body, not a judgment of the thought's content. "I need to buy milk" could be neutral, positive (looking forward to cooking), or negative (subtle tension about forgetting).

Investigation Relationships

The INVESTIGATES relationship models meta-cognitive reflection -- when an Experience Instance is about examining a previous experience. This supports:

• Contemplative practice: Investigating the nature of one's own experience
• Therapeutic techniques: A therapist might ask "What do you notice about that thought?"
• Research protocols: Structured introspective inquiry