A relational loop is a structural condition in which two or more causal chains become coupled and unable to resolve independently due to shared unresolved load.
A relational loop is not an interaction pattern, emotional dynamic, or behavioral habit.
It is a shared causal configuration.
A loop exists when:
causal closure cannot occur within a single chain
consequence is distributed across multiple actors
resolution requires change at the relational level
The loop resides between chains, not within them.
This distinction prevents category errors between relational structures and individual causality.
This note defines what a relational loop is.
It does not explain:
how loops behave over time
how chains become coupled
how relational loops differ from individual causality
how mediation disrupts closure