COLUMBUS – We usually think of quantum physics as describing the behavior of sub-atomic particles, not the behavior of people. But an Ohio State researcher says the principles that attempt to explain neutrons, quarks and neutrinos may also explain how we decide what to have for dinner or whom to vote for President.
A decision that may seem irrational to others is actually arrived at using a method not unlike quantum physics, which means it may defy conventional reasoning.
Equations and axioms that most closely match human behavior may be ones that are rooted in quantum physics, not conventional psychology, according to Zheng Joyce Wang and others who are trying to model human decision-making processes mathematically.
In two new papers in the journals, Current Directions in Psychological Science and Trends in Cognitive Sciences, Wang and her colleagues spell out an approach to psychology that suggests that thinking in a quantum-like way — essentially not following an approach based on conventional probability theory –enables humans to confront complex questions and make important decisions despite our limited mental resources. The process is called “quantum cognition.”
“Our brain can’t store everything. We don’t always have clear attitudes about things. But when you ask me a question, like ‘What do you want for dinner?” I have to think about it and come up with or construct a clear answer right there,” Wang said. “That’s quantum cognition.”
As we mull over our options, we envision them in our mind’s eye and, for a time, all the options co-exist before we zero in on our preferred option, said Wang, who is an associate professor of communication and director of the Communication and Psychophysiology Lab at The Ohio State University.
While quantum physics deals with uncertainties, which must be calculated in terms of probabilities, quantum cognition is what happens when humans are uncertain about how we feel or which option to choose but still make decisions based on limited information, said Wang.
“Whenever something comes up that isn’t consistent with classical theories, we often label it as ‘irrational.’ But from the perspective of quantum cognition, some findings aren’t irrational anymore. They’re consistent with quantum theory—and with how people really behave,” Wang said.