Social Laser Theory Extends Quantum-Like Modeling to Explain Coherence in Social Systems and Population Responses

The dynamics of collective behaviour, from sudden social movements to rapid shifts in public opinion, have long puzzled researchers, but a new theoretical framework offers a compelling explanation. Andrei Khrennikov from Linnaeus University and colleagues propose Social Laser Theory as a natural progression of -Like Modeling, extending mathematical principles from quantum physics into the social sciences. This theory conceptualises social groups as systems capable of absorbing and emitting ‘social energy’, and suggests that external stimuli can create coherence, leading to amplified collective actions, much like a physical laser. By formally linking individual psychological processes with large-scale social phenomena, the research provides a mathematically rigorous approach to understanding abrupt changes in contemporary societies and offers a pathway towards predicting and diagnosing sociopolitical dynamics.

Cited Authors and Relevant Publications

This compilation details the authors and their works referenced within the presented research, organized alphabetically by last name. It provides a comprehensive record of the scholarly foundations informing this study. Notable contributors include Alodjants, who explored phase transitions and decision-making in social systems; Anton Zeilinger, who contributed to the field of -Like Revolutions; and Benjamins Publishing Company, a publisher of relevant works. Carlsson detailed methods for extracting insights from complex data using topology, while Cifarelli edited a collection of scientific papers by Ettore Majorana.

De Tarde’s influential works on imitation and social laws are also referenced, alongside Dover Publications, a publisher of Schrödinger’s work. Epping and Fisher co-authored research on a quantum geometric framework for modeling color similarity. Haven collaborated with Plotnitsky on The Quantum-Like Revolution. Jennings co-authored a study on the statistics of social configurations. Kahneman and Tversky made significant contributions to the understanding of decision-making and uncertainty.

Khrennikov, with Ozawa and Rodin, explored applications of quantum theory to psychology and social mobilization. Lum contributed to research on topological data analysis. Majorana’s work on statistical laws in physics and social sciences is also highlighted. Melkikh investigated biological complexity and the quantum brain. Moreno’s pioneering work on sociometry and social organization is central to the study.

Neumann’s foundational work in quantum mechanics provides a theoretical basis. Ozawa collaborated with Khrennikov on quantum instruments in psychology. Penrose’s work on the mind is referenced. Pothos contributed to quantum cognition and color similarity. Rodin collaborated with Khrennikov on social mobilization.

Savage’s work on statistics is acknowledged. Schrödinger’s work on thermodynamics is foundational. Shafir, Simonson, and Tversky contributed to the understanding of choice and uncertainty. Silitski explored the challenges of explaining social phenomena. Tsarev collaborated with Alodjants on social systems. The theory conceptualizes societies as collections of “social atoms” capable of absorbing and emitting “social energy,” mirroring the behaviour of photons in a laser. Researchers draw a direct analogy between population inversion in laser physics and the conditions necessary for large-scale collective action, such as protests or ideological shifts. External informational stimuli, like media signals, are considered “pumping fields” that can induce coherence across a population.

This coherence, analogous to stimulated emission in a laser, amplifies social energy and potentially leads to abrupt transitions from dispersed attitudes to synchronized mass behaviour. Importantly, “social energy” is defined operationally, through measurable procedures. This approach deliberately avoids attempts to reduce mental phenomena to quantum processes, focusing instead on macroscopic social systems. The work establishes a framework for understanding how sudden, large-scale mobilizations emerge, not through gradual processes, but through the rapid amplification and coherent release of social energy.

Researchers propose that identifying parameters indicative of “population inversion” within a social system may allow for the diagnosis of sociopolitical situations. While acknowledging previous use of laser metaphors, the research specifically advances the concept of a “social laser” to emphasize the societal dimension and structural analogy with physical lasers, including concepts like excitation, coherence, and emission. The theory conceptualizes societies as ensembles of “social atoms” capable of absorbing and emitting “social energy,” mirroring laser physics, and proposes measurable quantities to diagnose sociopolitical dynamics. Researchers demonstrate that external informational stimuli can trigger coherence across populations, potentially leading to synchronized collective actions like protests or ideological shifts. This builds upon QLM, which applies mathematical principles from quantum theory, including superposition, contextuality, and non-commutativity, to model cognitive and social phenomena.

Experiments reveal that cognitive states can exist in combinations of potential outcomes, reflecting uncertainty before a decision is made, and that measurements actively shape outcomes rather than simply revealing pre-existing states. The team demonstrates non-commutativity in decision-making, showing that the order of questions significantly affects responses. Researchers formulated the QL framework for decision-making using complex Hilbert spaces and density operators to represent cognitive states. The Born’s rule, a central tenet of quantum mechanics, is applied to calculate the average of observable quantities, demonstrating a linear relationship between state and observable.

Calculations show that the probability of obtaining a specific outcome is given by a specific formula. Measurements generate back-action on the system’s state, updating the density operator. The team applied this framework to model anomalies in human decision-making, demonstrating how interference effects explain deviations from expected utility theory. Experiments reveal conjunction and disjunction effects, showing that individuals often make choices inconsistent with classical probability theory. The theory conceptualizes social systems as ensembles of individuals, termed ‘social atoms’, capable of absorbing and emitting units of social energy, analogous to photons in a laser. By applying principles from field theory, the team demonstrates how external stimuli, such as media messaging, can create coherence within a population, leading to rapid, synchronized collective actions like protests or ideological shifts. This offers a mathematically grounded approach to understanding abrupt changes in social dynamics, moving beyond purely sociological or political explanations.

The team applied this theory to analyze ‘color revolutions’, identifying key characteristics consistent with the principles of stimulated emission and coherence. Specifically, they observed rapid mass mobilization without central leadership, exponential growth in participation, and a subsequent quick decline, mirroring the behaviour of a laser system. Through a field-thermodynamic analysis, they show that these revolutions can be understood as phase transitions, triggered when external ‘pumping’, in the form of informational stimuli, exceeds a critical threshold. While acknowledging the complexity of social phenomena, the authors propose measurable indicators, such as media narratives, shared slogans, and growth rates, that could potentially be used to detect and understand sociopolitical cascades. The research highlights the critical role of mass media as both a source of stimulation and a means of amplifying social coherence, offering a new perspective on the dynamics of contemporary social movements.