RIKEN Quantum Workshop on “Quantum-Like Modeling in Cognitive & Social Sciences" on October 11, 2024

On Oct. 11 (Fri), RIKEN Quantum Workshop on “Quantum-Like Modeling in Cognitive & Social Sciences” was held at Room 359, Main Research Building, RIKEN (Wako). The workshop was hosted by RIKEN Quantum and had 30 participants from a variety of fields, including cognitive and social sciences as well as life sciences, mathematics, and physics. This was the first workshop at RIKEN to discuss “Quantum-Like Modeling” for various phenomena in cognitive and social sciences.

“Quantum-Like Modeling” suggests that using quantum probability calculus and its applications could be useful to rationalize cognitive and social phenomena as open quantum systems and expand previous understandings, obtained through simple linear algebra, by applying quantum formalizations.

After Atsushi Iriki, one of the organizers, explained the purpose of the workshop, there were four invited talks. Andrei Khrennikov gave a comprehensive talk on applications of the methodology and formalism of quantum theory outside of physics, in cognition, psychology, decision making, social and political sciences, economics and finance, genetics and evolutionary biology. Masanao Ozawa gave an introduction to his proposed quantum instrument theory, which unifies quantum measurement and quantum cognition through quantum simulation. Haruki Emori talked about applications of quantum computers to cognitive sciences based on the quantum instrument theory. Finally, Miho Fuyama introduced her empirical research on subjective experiences and superposition states of quantum probability theory in narrative reading.

These invited talks were followed by a general discussion and networking mixer, which deepened understanding of “Quantum-Like Modeling” in cognitive and social sciences from various perspectives and promoted new networking among the participants.