A Hamiltonian Driven Quantum-Like Model for Overdistribution in Episodic Memory Recollection

Abstract

While people famously forget genuine memories over time, they also tend to mistakenly over-recall equivalent memories concerning a given event. The memory phenomenon is known by the name of episodic overdistribution and occurs both in memories of disjunctions and partitions of mutually exclusive events and has been tested, modeled and documented in the literature. The total classical probability of recalling exclusive sub-events most often exceeds the probability of recalling the composed event, i.e., a subadditive total. We present a Hamiltonian driven propagation for the Quantum Episodic Memory model developed by Brainerd et al. [1] for the episodic memory overdistribution in the experimental immediate item false memory paradigm [1][2][3]. Following the Hamiltonian method of Busemeyer and Bruza [4] our model adds time-evolution of the perceived memory state through the stages of the experimental process based on psychologically interpretable parameters-γ c for recollection capability of cues, κ p for bias or description-dependence by probes and β for the average gist component in the memory state at start. With seven parameters the Hamiltonian model shows good accuracy of predictions both in the EOD-disjunction and in the EOD-subadditivity paradigm. We noticed either an outspoken preponderance of the gist over verbatim trace, or the opposite, in the initial memory state when β is real. Only for complex β a mix of both traces is present in the initial state for the EOD-subadditivity paradigm.

Episodic Source Memory over Distribution by Quantum-Like Dynamics – A Model Exploration

“…From which follows that -given the positive gist balance in the second fractionmost often the Hamiltonian-QEM model will predict subadditivity in the three list paradigm. However, like in the Hamiltonian QEM model for the item false memory paradigm of Broekaert & Busemeyer [11], we find the model can in principle also account for cases that satisfy the additivity of disjoint sub-events, or violate it in super-additive manner.…”

“…This aspect is implemented in an intrinsically quantum-like manner in their complementarity-based model for Complementary Memory Types (CMT) [15,16,20]. We previously developed a Hamiltonian dynamical extension of QEM for item memory tasks [11]. The dynamical formalism allows to describe time development of the acceptance decision based on gist, verbatim and non-related traces.…”

“…Therefor the initial belief state will re-occur after the proper time period of the system. In previous work we have argued a third temporal stage, closing the experimental paradigm, should implicitly be supposed in which all driving parameters are set equal to zero [11]. The time of measurement t is taken equal to π 2 for each stage [14].…”

Quantum-like dynamics applied to cognition: a consideration of available options

“…As noted, most QPT cognitive models are built using ℂ I components, that is components corresponding to a choice involving two alternatives. We note that in the literature Hamiltonian driven cognitive models with an odd dimension e.g., = 3 [34], or with not Pauli-based Hamiltonians, = 5 [21] and = 8 [35] have been proposed. A main source of interest for QPT dynamical models is how a separable ℂ I structure consistent with the law of total probability can be extended to produce interference effects which allow deviations from the law of total probability.…”

“…We note that, in the literature, Hamiltonian-driven cognitive models with an odd dimension n, e.g. n = 3 [33], or with not Pauli-based Hamiltonians, n = 5 [20] and n = 8 [34], have been proposed.…”