“No phenomenon is a real phenomenon until it is an observed phenomenon.”
— John Archibald Wheeler

We used to think the observer was a passive witness to the universe. What if the observer is actually part of the equation?

For over a century, quantum mechanics has challenged our deepest intuitions about the nature of reality. Particles exist in multiple states at once. Observations appear to “collapse” this uncertainty into a single outcome. And yet, the role of the observer — you, me, anyone conscious — has remained strangely ambiguous.

Now, a new theory from my own lab may finally bring clarity to this mystery by putting the observer back at the center of physics. It’s called the N-Frame model, and it offers a striking proposal: your conscious mind doesn’t just observe reality — it shapes it.

What Is the N-Frame Model?

The N-Frame model [1] draws from physics, neuroscience, and psychology to present a bold idea: our conscious experience arises from, and simultaneously feeds back into, the quantum fabric of reality.

At its core is a simple but radical shift: consciousness is not a bystander. It is an active participant. Like the lens of a camera, your internal state — your beliefs, your focus, your intentions — determines what kind of world you experience.

We are not detached observers. We are embedded, entangled participants to the universe in a reality that is context-sensitive, relational, and interactive.

Beyond the Observer Effect

Many people have heard of the famous double-slit experiment, where a single quantum particle (such as a photon) behaves differently depending on whether it’s being observed. In one case (when not observed), it creates an interference pattern, suggesting it acts like a wave. In another (when observed), it behaves like a localized particle. This mysterious “observer effect” has sparked debate for a century.

But most interpretations stop at the surface: “observation causes collapse.” What does that even mean? And more importantly — who or what counts as an observer?

The N-Frame model goes deeper. It builds on a framework known as QBism (Quantum Bayesianism) [2], where quantum probabilities are interpreted not as objective frequencies, but as subjective beliefs held by an observer. From this perspective, the Born rule, the formula used to predict outcomes in quantum mechanics, is not a rule about the physical universe, but about how you as a conscious agent (an observer) assign probabilities based on your knowledge and experience.

To this, N-Frame adds a powerful psychological insight from functional contextualism, a philosophy rooted in pragmatism and behavioral science. Functional contextualism holds that thoughts, behaviors, and interpretations are always shaped by context — both the external setting and the internal perspective of the individual.

Combining Physics and Psychology

By merging QBism and functional contextualism, the N-Frame model mathematically redefines quantum probabilities to include the observer’s internal state, what I call CintO: the internal context of the conscious observer. This includes beliefs, attention, memory, emotional state, and intention.

From this standpoint, quantum reality is not just dependent on measurement, but on who the observer is, what they believe, and how they choose to engage (their intent).

We are not just influencing what we see — we are co-authoring what exists.

The Conscious Collapse Hypothesis

One of the model’s most radical proposals is the idea of consciousness-induced perturbation, similar to what has long been postulated by John von Newmann [3], Eugene Wigner [4], and more recently, Henrey P. Stapp [5] (amongst several others).

In simple terms: when you observe a quantum system with focused intent, your internal mental state slightly alters the probabilities of what outcome you’ll get. This isn’t magic. It’s modeled using a small parameter — a kind of contextual bias — that gently shifts reality’s likelihoods based on your state of focus.

Imagine looking at a double-slit experiment while intending to see a specific result. The N-Frame model predicts that your conscious focus might slightly bias the outcome — not through force of will, but through a subtle, calculable interaction between your mind and the quantum system (as an entangled quantum state).

And this idea isn’t purely theoretical. Early-stage experiments such as those led by Dean Radin and colleagues [6, 7] suggest that small consciousness-related shifts in quantum probabilities may already be observable in controlled lab environments.

A Universe Rendered by Observation?

Perhaps most intriguingly, the N-Frame model aligns with what’s known in physics as the holographic principle [8] — the idea that what we perceive as three-dimensional space and time may actually emerge from underlying two-dimensional information at the boundaries.

In N-Frame, your consciousness acts as a boundary condition: it determines how the “bulk” of reality is rendered into your experience. Change your internal context, and the projection, your perceived reality, shifts accordingly.

It’s a bit like a virtual reality headset. The data and code haven’t changed, but what you see and experience depends entirely on how your lens, your conscious interface, is tuned.

In this view, your mind isn’t just passively registering information; it’s actively rendering the universe in real time, like a video game engine that only loads the parts of the world you’re currently focused on.

Reality, then, is not a static backdrop but a dynamic co-creation, continuously shaped by your conscious attention and internal context, and this extends the vision of John Archibald Wheeler’s “It From Bit” [9].

Why This Matters

This isn’t just abstract philosophy or poetic metaphor. It could signal a paradigm shift in multiple fields, as follows:

Psychology: If conscious intent can measurably affect physical outcomes, we need to redefine the boundaries between mind and matter. This opens up new directions for mind-body research, cognitive therapy, and consciousness studies.

Physics: The measurement problem, a longstanding mystery in quantum mechanics, may find resolution in the idea that observation isn’t just passive collapse but a dynamic interaction between internal states and external potential.

Artificial Intelligence: If consciousness has causal power, then designing AGI systems that simply mimic logic or learning isn’t enough. We must build systems capable of contextual awareness, self-reflective updates, and intention-driven adaptation — not just computation.

Spirituality and Human Meaning: Without ever leaving the domain of science, this theory reconnects with ancient intuitions: that mind and matter are deeply entwined, that attention shapes experience, and that we are more than mere bystanders in the cosmos.

What Comes Next?

The N-Frame model, includes detailed mathematical definitions, formal postulates, and testable predictions.

It proposes not only a new view of quantum physics, but a new paradigm for understanding ourselves. One that unifies physics, psychology, neuroscience, and philosophy in a shared language of context, interaction, and emergence.

But more than anything, it invites you — the conscious observer — to rethink your role in the cosmos.

You are not outside the universe, looking in.
You are inside it.
Participating.
Rendering.
Interacting.

And perhaps… co-creating.