Quantum-like perception entanglement leads to advantageous collective decisions

TL;DR

This paper proposes that quantum-like perception entanglement among social animals can lead to more efficient collective decisions, offering a novel explanation for seemingly irrational group behaviors and suggesting new empirical testing methods.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of quantum-like perception entanglement as a mechanism for advantageous collective decision-making in social animals, a novel approach in the field.

Findings

Perception entanglement reduces decision costs in groups

Concurrent perception influences collective decision efficiency

Quantum-like models can explain irrational group behaviors

Abstract

Social animals have to make collective decisions on a daily basis. In most instances, these decisions are taken by consensus, when the group does what the majority of individuals want. Individuals have to base these decisions on the information they perceive from their socioecological landscape. The perception mechanisms they use can influence the cost of collective decisions. Here I show that when group-living individuals perceive their environment concurrently for the same decisions, a quantum-like perception entanglement process can confer less costly collective decisions than when individuals collect their information independently. This highlights a mechanism that can help explain what may seem to be irrational group-living behavior and opens avenues to develop empirical tests for quantum decision theory.