Cognition Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Cognition, including details on psychology, neuroscience, memory, brain theory.

Quantum-like brain: "Interference of minds".

Khrennikov A

International Center for Mathematical Modeling in Physics and Cognitive Sciences, MSI, University of Växjö S-35195, Sweden. Andrei.Khrennikov@msi.vxu.se

We present a contextualist statistical realistic model for quantum-like representations in physics, cognitive science, and psychology. We apply this model to describe cognitive experiments to check quantum-like structures of mental processes. The crucial role is played by interference of probabilities for mental observables. Recently one such experiment based on recognition of images was performed. This experiment confirmed our prediction on the quantum-like behavior of mind. In our approach "quantumness of mind" has no direct relation to the fact that the brain (as any physical body) is composed of quantum particles. We invented a new terminology "quantum-like (QL) mind." Cognitive QL-behavior is characterized by a nonzero coefficient of interference lambda. This coefficient can be found on the basis of statistical data. There are predicted not only cos theta-interference of probabilities, but also hyperbolic cosh theta-interference. This interference was never observed for physical systems, but we could not exclude this possibility for cognitive systems. We propose a model of brain functioning as a QL-computer (there is a discussion on the difference between quantum and QL computers).

Published 2 May 2006 in Biosystems, 84(3): 225-41.
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