The Guppy Effect as Interference

TL;DR

This paper models the Guppy Effect, a cognitive phenomenon where conjunctions of concepts are overextended, using quantum interference in a high-dimensional Hilbert space to explain how new concepts emerge from combined concepts.

Contribution

It introduces a quantum interference model in a 17-dimensional Hilbert space to explain the Guppy Effect and the emergence of new concepts from concept conjunctions.

Findings

Successfully models the Guppy Effect with quantum interference

Demonstrates the relationship between overextension and interference

Provides a mathematical framework for concept combination phenomena

Abstract

People use conjunctions and disjunctions of concepts in ways that violate the rules of classical logic, such as the law of compositionality. Specifically, they overextend conjunctions of concepts, a phenomenon referred to as the Guppy Effect. We build on previous efforts to develop a quantum model that explains the Guppy Effect in terms of interference. Using a well-studied data set with 16 exemplars that exhibit the Guppy Effect, we developed a 17-dimensional complex Hilbert space H that models the data and demonstrates the relationship between overextension and interference. We view the interference effect as, not a logical fallacy on the conjunction, but a signal that out of the two constituent concepts, a new concept has emerged.