Does quantum uncertainty have a place in everyday applied statistics?

Behav Brain Sci. 2013 Jun;36(3):285. doi: 10.1017/S0140525X12002944.

Abstract

We are sympathetic to the general ideas presented in the article by Pothos & Busemeyer (P&B): Heisenberg's uncertainty principle seems naturally relevant in the social and behavioral sciences, in which measurements can affect the people being studied. We propose that the best approach for developing quantum probability models in the social and behavioral sciences is not by directly using the complex probability-amplitude formulation proposed in the article, but rather, more generally, to consider marginal probabilities that need not be averages over conditionals.

Publication types

  • Comment

MeSH terms

  • Cognition*
  • Humans
  • Models, Psychological*
  • Probability Theory*
  • Quantum Theory*