Quantum Interference and Superposition in Cognition: Development of a Theory for the Disjunction of Concepts

We elaborate a theory for the modeling of concepts using the mathematical structure of quantum mechanics. Concepts are represented by vectors in the complex Hilbert space of quantum mechanics and membership weights of items are modeled by quantum weights calculated following the quantum rules. We apply this theory to model the disjunction of concepts and show that experimental data of membership weights of items with respect to the disjunction of concepts can be modeled accurately. It is the quantum effects of interference and superposition, combined with an effect of context, that are at the origin of the effects of overextension and underextension observed as deviations from a classical use of the disjunction. We put forward a graphical explanation of the effects of overextension and underextension by interpreting the quantum model applied to the modeling of the disjunction of concepts.