Quantum Social Science

Written by world experts in the foundations of quantum mechanics and its applications to social science, this book shows how elementary quantum mechanical principles can be applied to decision-making paradoxes in psychology and used in modelling information in finance and economics. The book starts with a thorough overview of some of the salient differences between classical, statistical and quantum mechanics. It presents arguments on why quantum mechanics can be applied outside of physics and defines quantum social science. The issue of the existence of quantum probabilistic effects in psychology, economics and finance is addressed and basic questions and answers are provided. Aimed at researchers in economics and psychology, as well as physics, basic mathematical preliminaries and elementary concepts from quantum mechanics are defined in a self-contained way.

Table of Contents

I Physics concepts in social science? A discussion
1 Classical, statistical, and quantum mechanics: all in one
2 Econophysics: statistical physics and social science
3 Quantum social science: a non-mathematical motivation

II Mathematics and physics preliminaries
4 Vector calculus and other mathematical preliminaries
5 Basic elements of quantum mechanics
6 Basic elements of Bohmian mechanics

III Quantum probabilistic effects in psychology: basic questions and answers
7 A brief overview
8 Interference effects in psychology – an introduction
9 A quantum-like model of decision making

IV Other quantum probabilistic effects in economics, finance, and brain sciences
10 Financial/economic theory in crisis
11 Bohmian mechanics in finance and economics
12 The Bohm–Vigier model and path simulation
13 Other applications to economic/financial theory
14 Neurophysiological sources of quantum-like processing in the brain
15 Conclusion