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Quantum Psychology is a term originally coined by science-fiction writer Robert Anton Wilson, in his book Quantum Psychology: How Brain Software Programs You & Your World, originally published in 1990.
Quantum psychology is not an actual field of psychology. However, since Robert Anton Wilson’s book, some authors created a hybrid model of quantum ontology and psychology, proposing an interesting blend to the traditional mind-brain problem.
The best definition I could find for quantum psychology is from and article posted on Medium. Isaac Rodriguez Betanzos defines quantum psychology as “the science and theory that studies the nature, implications and relationships between the part of our (sub) consciousness (or Quantum Self) governed by the laws of Quantum Mechanics, and how it retro-influence and interacts with our default sensory system, cognitively, neuronal and biological mechanisms and the rest of our (sub) consciousness, which are ruled by the macroscopic or Newtonian physics laws” (2019).
Quantum Ontology
Quantum ontology details the nature of consciousness, being, and experience; examining all non-physical energies such as: emotions, feelings, mind and thought, motivations, love and happiness, and pain and suffering. The real life topics experienced by human beings.
A recent advertisement for a course in Quantum Psychology describes the course this way, “everything you have wanted to know about yourself, your experiences, how to make them more whole, and how to integrate your knowledge systems of psychology, is here in the form of quantum psychology” (Quantum University).
Emergence of Complexity
While much of the quantum psychology crowd has drifted into metaphysical and magical non-sense, We can still benefit from viewing the complexity of forces involved in consciousness from a quantum perspective. The whole becomes much more than the individual parts. In modern day science, we deconstruct, examining microscopic parts, while ignoring that a macro view may provide more information. Somewhere from the parts emerges something different. Accordingly, from the parts emerges a new macro characteristic. Something much different than the parts.
Michael S. Gazzaniga, director of the SAGE Center for the Study of the Mind at the University of California, Santa Barbara, describes this process. He wrote, “emergence is when micro-level complex systems that are far from equilibrium (thus allowing for the amplification of random events) self-organize (creative, self-generated, adaptability-seeking behavior) into new structures, with new properties that previously did not exist, to form a new level of organization on the macro level.”
Gazzaniga provides and example of a ball to illustrate the process of emergence. He wrote “the balls in my living room are made up of atoms that behave as described by quantum mechanics, and when those microscopic atoms come together to form macroscopic balls, a new behavior emerges and that behavior is what Newton observed and described. It turns out that Newton’s laws aren’t fundamental, they are emergent; that is, they are what happens when quantum matter aggregates into macroscopic fluids and objects” (2011).
A Few Words by Psychology Fanatic
Complexity is certainly an element of life. The functions of the brain continually amaze me. We can read and ponder theories such as quantum psychology and, perhaps, gain insight that we missed from more traditional research. We must use caution. Most these writing have little support beyond the authors speculation.
References:
Betanzos, Isaac Rodriguez (2019). The Invisible Book of Quantum Psychology. Published 7-13-2019. Accessed 6-22-2023.
Gazzaniga, Michael S. (2011). Who’s in Charge?: Free Will and the Science of the Brain. Ecco; Reprint edition.
Wilson, Robert Anton (2016). Quantum Psychology: How Brain Software Programs You and Your World. Hilaritas Press, LLC.
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