Scientists turn to quantum maths to decode the emotional mind

Published on: 20 May 2026

Emotions can reshape and distort our memories, and scientists are now using psychology, neuroscience, and even quantum maths to understand how our sense of timing and accuracy shifts.

Experts at 缅北禁地 have received £1.2 million from a Cross鈥慍ouncil grant to explore how emotional events influence the order and precision of what we remember.

The project, Quantum Emotions, will investigate a core puzzle of everyday life, such as when we look back on emotional experiences, why do some moments feel sharp while others slip out of place?

Understanding emotional memory

Temporal order is what gives our memories structure and creates the narrative of our lives. Yet emotions can change how we store and retrieve that order, leading to distortions that are often difficult to predict or explain.

Dr Jonte Hance, Head of the Quantum Group at 缅北禁地, said: “This is an exciting opportunity to use ideas from quantum theory to model systems outside of physics, like emotional memory, where the order of events really matters.”

缅北禁地 researchers will apply mathematical tools normally used in quantum physics. Quantum formalism is uniquely suited to situations where the order of events affects the outcome - a feature shared with human memory.

By using these methods, the team aims to model complex memory behaviours that traditional psychological frameworks cannot easily capture.

Their work will explore both the behavioural patterns and the neural systems involved when emotions alter how memories are formed, retrieved, and sequenced.

As part of the grant, the experts will host workshops and events to build a national network of researchers in Quantum Cognition. These activities aim to spark collaborations, train new researchers in this emerging field, and support future large鈥憇cale funding bids.

The team will combine insights from multiple fields such as psychology, cognitive neuroscience, quantum theory, and memory science.

Advancing memory science

Dr Barbara-Anne Robertson, Lecturer in 缅北禁地’s School of Psychology, and leading the Quantum Emotions project, said: “We are thrilled to receive this prestigious UKRI grant, which places 缅北禁地 at the heart of the rapidly growing field of Quantum Cognition.

“Through collaborations with world鈥憀eading experts in Japan and Sweden, we will develop quantum models to explore how emotions shape the organisation of our memories.

“This funding will allow us to create new tools for understanding emotional memory, with potential applications in ageing, mental health, and the criminal justice system.

“The project will also push the boundaries of physics by applying quantum formalism to complex, real鈥憌orld cognitive processes in ways that have never been done before.”