Data from: Zeno’s paradox in decision making

Classical probability theory has been influential in modeling decision processes, despite empirical findings that have been persistently paradoxical from classical perspectives. For such findings, some researchers have been successfully pursuing decision models based on quantum theory. One unique feature of quantum theory is the collapse postulate, which entails that measurements (or in decision making, judgments) reset the state to be consistent with the measured outcome. If there is quantum structure in cognition, then there has to be evidence for the collapse postulate. A striking, a priori prediction, is that opinion change will be slowed down (under idealized conditions frozen) by continuous judgments. In physics, this is the quantum Zeno effect. We demonstrate a quantum Zeno effect in decision making in humans and so provide evidence that advocates the use of quantum principles in decision theory, at least in some cases.

经典概率论（Classical Probability Theory）在决策过程建模领域始终具有深远影响力，尽管诸多实证研究结果从经典理论视角来看始终存在悖论。针对这类悖论性发现，部分研究者已成功构建起基于量子理论（Quantum Theory）的决策模型。量子理论的一个独特特征是量子坍缩公设（Collapse Postulate），其核心内涵为：测量行为（在决策场景中对应判断行为）会重置系统状态，使其与测量或判断结果保持一致。若认知过程中存在量子结构，则必然能够找到支持量子坍缩公设的实证证据。一项引人注目的先验（a priori）预测表明：在理想冻结条件下，连续的判断行为会延缓观点的转变。在物理学领域，这一现象被称为量子芝诺效应（Quantum Zeno Effect）。本研究在人类决策行为中观测到了量子芝诺效应，从而为在决策理论中应用量子原理提供了实证支持，至少在部分特定场景下是如此。