It refers to how something is constructed and how that construction relates to function

In discussions of readers and texts, it is common to refer to the importance of the ... How a sign comes to mean is a function of how a reader is enculturated to read ... the necessity of culturally constructed subjectivity in meaning construction

Structure is the term that refers to how something is built and how that construction is related to the function.

Explanation:

In the literal sense, the term "structure" refers to something that is being built, established or organized in order to operate a function efficiently. An example of this may be the structure of a scientific model, which is established to explain a certain concept, or, the structure of a building which is established with the function of supporting the construction.

In the figurative sense, the term "structure" refers to the construction of an emotional control that is capable of efficiently sustaining a given emotion.