The Applications of Quantum Mechanics in Flirting (Part 1 of 2)
"Is she into you" explained by Schrodinger's Cat and other famous thought experiments
The broader purpose of this article is to explain observations of the relationship between quantum mechanics (namely, quantum superposition), and the process by which humans talk to and approach one another in the attempt to find a mate, frequently known as flirting. By using well-known experiments, such as the double-slit experiment, an attempt will be made to explain common phenomena that occur during the flirting process. Further, an analogy will be made using the Schrödinger’s cat thought experiment in order to answer the frequently-asked question: “Is she into you?”, a colloquial rhetorical question used to describe the uncertainty of whether or not a member of the preferred sex (MPS) is interested in a particular individual (who is frequently male, as the phrase is frequently used).
At the beginning of the second decade of the 21st century, the COVID-19 pandemic locked down many parts of the world, severely limiting face-to-face interactions between humans outside of their household. As a result, the year of 2020 drastically increased the usage of online dating apps, like Tinder. However, the increase in usage also brought a change in the method of usage for such applications. Before COVID, users would use the app as a staging point for a meet-up in person, whereas during the pandemic lockdown, users more frequently used the app directly to talk to the other person. Thus, with the lack of body language (with the exception of facial expressions in video calls) and the overall decreased contact, it became increasingly difficult to tell if the other person is a match, or, for the lack of a better term, if the other person is “into” an individual.
Although COVID travel restrictions and lockdowns have ended, for the most part, by 2022, aforementioned problems can still affect students who lead busy lives and are unable to contact each other frequently. As such, it is difficult for such students to discern among them whether an member of preferred sex is interested in them, especially over text messages and online messaging apps, where message meanings may be ambiguous.
The primary principle that will be discussed is quantum superposition. Quantum superposition is a fundamental principle of quantum mechanics. It states that, like waves in classical physics, multiple quantum states can be superimposed into another valid quantum state. This was famously demonstrated by the double-slit experiment, which shows the inability of either a particle or a wave to describe the properties of light. When a beam of light is fired through a single slit, the light shown after going through the slit goes through a diffraction pattern. When two parallel slits are used, the light from either slit interfered with each other, created a further diffracted pattern on a screen. This seemed to show that light behaved as a wave, rather than a particle. However, light can behave as particles under different conditions, namely, as photons in the photoelectric effect. Thus, it was then theorized that the behavior/state of light could be superimposed, that in fact, light could be both a particle and a wave, however, it could only be a particle or a wave when observed.
This phenomenon can be illustrated by the famous Schrödinger’s Cat thought experiment proposed by Erwin Schrödinger. Although many variations exist, the principle of the experiment is that a cat is placed inside a box (thus making observation impossible). The box also contains a radioactive source, Geiger counter (or other monitor), a hammer, and a flask of poison. If the monitor detects radioactivity, it uses the hammer to shatter the glass of poison, which kills the cat. Because this event may or may not occur, if one does not open the box, then after a certain amount of time, from an outside observer’s point of view, the cat is both dead and alive simultaneously. However, if that person opens the box, the cat is either dead or alive, not both, thus collapsing the quantum superposition of the cat. Quantum superposition is crucial in explaining the wave-particle duality seen in the double-slit experiment.
The aforementioned rhetorical question “Is she into you?” can be modeled by quantum superposition. Especially during the COVID pandemic where online chats and text messages were the predominant form of communication, and post-COVID where students are busy and do not talk to each other frequently in person, it can be difficult to tell if an MPS is interested in an individual. Here, an analogy can be made to the Schrodinger’s Cat thought experiment. Because it is unclear whether the MPS is interested in an individual, that MPS can be thought of as the cat in the box. Just like how the cat can be either dead or alive (disregarding any implications this comparison may have), the MPS can either be interested in the individual or not. From the perspective of the individual, the MPS is in a state of quantum superposition where they both are and are not attracted to the individual. The only way to break this state of superposition is to directly ask the MPS, after which their position collapses into either they are or they are not attracted to the individual. This is analogous to opening the box and looking at the cat.
There are a few limitations to this perspective on the flirting scene. First of all, merely the existence of a correlation between quantum mechanics and flirting does not imply a scientifically explainable causation for the same. However, even though there is little available scientific background that connects quantum mechanics with human interactions, the Schrödinger’s Cat experiment can and should be used as a testament to the unpredictable nature of human behavior. Further, although this analysis was written from the perspective of a straight male, this can apply to all individuals who are uncertain of their standing while talking with an MPS.
READ NEXT: https://open.substack.com/pub/ericzou/p/modeling-flirting-success-rates-with
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