About Course
How the Mind Handles Uncertainty
Lead scientist: Prof Emmanuel Pothos
Cohort size: 30 participants max
Dates: 18-23 May 2026 (6 consecutive days)
Price policy: This course offers a 50% discounted rate for undergraduate and graduate students. Eligible students may apply the coupon code STUDENT50 at checkout to receive the reduced price.
Quantum mechanics is one of the most powerful ideas ever developed by humans—not just in physics, but as a way of thinking about uncertainty itself. When physicists realised that classical probability simply could not describe the microscopic world, they invented an entirely new framework: quantum theory. What’s remarkable is that this framework turns out to be useful far beyond physics—especially wherever uncertainty, ambiguity, and context matter.
And that’s exactly where the human mind comes in.
In cognitive psychology, human behaviour frequently violates the rules of classical probability. These “paradoxes” sit at the heart of the famous heuristics and biases tradition—one of the most influential research programmes in psychology and the foundation of multiple Nobel Prizes! As it turns out, quantum theory often captures these paradoxes surprisingly well!
This course explores why and how quantum theory can model human thought.
You will:
uncover why classical probability was originally assumed to govern human decision-making—and where it breaks down,
explore the paradoxes that have shaped modern cognitive and decision theory,
learn the motivation behind quantum approaches to cognition and examine early foundational models,
dive into the mechanics of key quantum cognitive models,
understand dynamical approaches to modelling mental processes,
explore real-world applications, from organisational psychology to legal decision-making,
and engage with cutting-edge developments and open challenges in the field.
The course is designed for anyone curious about how minds actually think under uncertainty, and how ideas from quantum theory are reshaping psychology.
If you’re interested in the future of cognitive science—and in tools that go beyond classical assumptions—this course offers a rare opportunity to explore one of the most exciting interdisciplinary frontiers in psychology today.