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Published on: November 11, 2013
Quantum formalism for the dynamics of cognitive psychology
1School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH, UK. d.brody@surrey.ac.uk.
Abstract:
The cognitive state of mind concerning a range of choices to be made can be modelled efficiently by use of an element of a high-dimensional Hilbert space. The dynamics of the state of mind resulting from information acquisition can be characterised by the von Neumann-Lüders projection postulate of quantum theory. This is shown to give rise to an uncertainty-minimising dynamical behaviour equivalent to Bayesian updating, hence providing an alternative approach to representing the dynamics of a cognitive state, consistent with the free energy principle in brain science. The quantum formalism, however, goes beyond the range of applicability of classical reasoning in explaining cognitive behaviour, thus opening up new and intriguing possibilities.
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