Selectivity in probabilistic causality: where psychology runs into quantum physics

DOI10.1016/J.JMP.2011.12.003zbMATH Open1238.91123arXiv1110.2388OpenAlexW2964214846WikidataQ110125198 ScholiaQ110125198MaRDI QIDQ423115FDOQ423115

Authors: Ehtibar N. Dzhafarov, Janne V. Kujala 

Publication date: 18 May 2012

Published in: Journal of Mathematical Psychology (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: Given a set of several inputs into a system (e.g., independent variables characterizing stimuli) and a set of several stochastically non-independent outputs (e.g., random variables describing different aspects of responses), how can one determine, for each of the outputs, which of the inputs it is influenced by? The problem has applications ranging from modeling pairwise comparisons to reconstructing mental processing architectures to conjoint testing. A necessary and sufficient condition for a given pattern of selective influences is provided by the Joint Distribution Criterion, according to which the problem of "what influences what" is equivalent to that of the existence of a joint distribution for a certain set of random variables. For inputs and outputs with finite sets of values this criterion translates into a test of consistency of a certain system of linear equations and inequalities (Linear Feasibility Test) which can be performed by means of linear programming. While new in the behavioral context, both this test and the Joint Distribution Criterion on which it is based have been previously proposed in quantum physics, in dealing with generalizations of Bell inequalities for the quantum entanglement problem. The parallels between this problem and that of selective influences in behavioral sciences is established by observing that noncommuting measurements in quantum physics are mutually exclusive and can therefore be treated as different levels of one and the same factor.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/1110.2388

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zbMATH Keywords

factorial designquantum entanglementBell-type inequalitiesEPR paradigmfine's inequalitiesjoint distribution criterionmental architecturesprobabilistic causalityrandom outputsselective influencesThurstonian scaling

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Factorial statistical designs (62K15) Applications of statistics to psychology (62P15) Psychophysics and psychophysiology; perception (91E30) Quantum measurement theory, state operations, state preparations (81P15)

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Cited In (29)

• Classical versus quantum probability: comments on the paper ``On universality of classical probability with contextually labeled random variables by E. Dzhafarov and M. Kon
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• Quantum information biology: from information interpretation of quantum mechanics to applications in molecular biology and cognitive psychology
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• Towards the epistemology of the non-trivial: research characteristics connecting quantum mechanics and first-person inquiry
• Context-content systems of random variables: the contextuality-by-default theory
• Syntax and operational semantics of a probabilistic programming language with scopes
• ON THE POTENTIAL INFLUENCE OF QUANTUM NOISE ON MEASURING EFFECTIVENESS IN CLINICAL TRIALS
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• A probabilistic framework for analysing the compositionality of conceptual combinations
• Editorial on developments in systems factorial technology: theory and applications
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