Relational Frame Theory (RFT)

Relational Frame Theory (RFT) is a psychological framework that explains how humans learn and create complex language and cognition through relating different concepts. It suggests that we don’t simply associate things; instead, we understand and form relationships between them—like recognizing that if A is bigger than B, and B is bigger than C, then A is bigger than C. These learned relationships influence how we think, communicate, and behave. RFT helps explain how language shapes our perceptions and interactions, highlighting that our ability to relate ideas flexibly underpins much of human mental function.