No Preferred Reference Frame at the Foundation of Quantum Mechanics

Quantum information theorists have created axiomatic reconstructions of quantum mechanics (QM) that are very successful at identifying precisely what distinguishes quantum probability theory from classical and more general probability theories in terms of information-theoretic principles. Herein, we show how one such principle, Information Invariance and Continuity, at the foundation of those axiomatic reconstructions, maps to “no preferred reference frame” (NPRF, aka “the relativity principle”) as it pertains to the invariant measurement of Planck’s constant h for Stern-Gerlach (SG) spin measurements. This is in exact analogy to the relativity principle as it pertains to the invariant measurement of the speed of light c at the foundation of special relativity (SR). Essentially, quantum information theorists have extended Einstein’s use of NPRF from the boost invariance of measurements of c to include the SO(3) invariance of measurements of h between different reference frames of mutually complementary spin measurements via the principle of Information Invariance and Continuity. Consequently, the “mystery” of the Bell states is understood to result from conservation per Information Invariance and Continuity between different reference frames of mutually complementary qubit measurements, and this maps to conservation per NPRF in spacetime. If one falsely conflates the relativity principle with the classical theory of SR, then it may seem impossible that the relativity principle resides at the foundation of non-relativisitic QM. In fact, there is nothing inherently classical or quantum about NPRF. Thus, the axiomatic reconstructions of QM have succeeded in producing a principle account of QM that reveals as much about Nature as the postulates of SR.

Vaccine Hesitancy and Political Populism. An Invariant Cross-European Perspective

Vaccine-hesitancy and political populism are positively associated across Europe: those countries in which their citizens present higher populist attitudes are those that also have higher vaccine-hesitancy rates. The same key driver fuels them: distrust in institutions, elites, and experts. The reluctance of citizens to be vaccinated fits perfectly in populist political agendas because is a source of instability that has a distinctive characteristic known as the “small pockets” issue. It means that the level at which immunization coverage needs to be maintained to be effective is so high that a small number of vaccine-hesitants have enormous adverse effects on herd immunity and epidemic spread. In pandemic and post-pandemic scenarios, vaccine-hesitancy could be used by populists as one of the most effective tools for generating distrust. This research presents an invariant measurement model applied to 27 EU + UK countries (27,524 participants) that segments the different behaviours found, and gives social-marketing recommendations for coping with the vaccine-hesitancy problem when used for generating distrust.

Assessment of Testifying Ability in Preschool Children: CAPALIST

Purpose: Interviews to obtain statements in judicial procedures need to be adapted to the witnesses’ abilities to testify. Moreover, knowing the cognitive abilities involved in testifying provides relevant criteria to assess statement credibility. As age or intelligence quotient is not enough to estimate these capabilities, an instrument to evaluate witnesses’ specific abilities to testify is needed. The present paper validates CAPALIST, a procedure that considers relevant capabilities when assessing the testimony given by children.Methods: This study analyzed, by means of an invariant measurement approach (Rasch model), four scales included in CAPALIST: language, memory, contextual information, and social thinking. In addition, gender and age differences were analyzed in 83 children [45 males and 38 females; Mage = 4.3 years, SD = 0.74, range (3.06–5.11)] from three courses in early childhood education.Results: The four scales do not severely violate the requirements of the model. The principal component analysis of the residuals indicates that the four scales are one dimensional and that the assumption of local independence was not violated. Differential item functioning of the scales associated with gender was not detected. A significant effect of the school year was obtained, with an increase in ability in successive courses. The percentage of children who presented severe misfit responses with the model was low. In addition, the number of items with a severe misfit was also low.Conclusion: An acceptable performance of CAPALIST is demonstrated for most of the scales, although items with a severe misfit must be replaced, and more difficult items have to be included in some scales of the revised version of the instrument. CAPALIST is a promising procedure to assess the abilities of children to testify in order to adapt interviews and to evaluate their statements correctly.

The Structure of Conflict Styles in Adolescents

This study examines the latent structure of the Rahim Organizational Conflict Inventory – II (ROCI-II) in several samples of secondary school students. Findings from earlier studies conducted in adult populations suggested that the instrument has a four- or five-factor structure; however, the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) in this study yielded a three-factor (integrating, dominating, avoiding) solution, with most of the items associated with a fourth factor (Obliging) failing to load as predicted. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) replicated the three-factor solution satisfactorily. A multiple-group CFA indicated that the ROCI-II showed invariant measurement properties in male and female students and corroborated the concurrent validity of the three-factor solution. The integrating factor was related positively to a measure of perspective taking but negatively to a measure of reluctance to participate. The avoiding factor was associated with a measure of reluctance to participate. We discuss the implications of the results for understanding the latent structure of the ROCI-II in adolescents.

Using Guttman errors to explore rater fit in rater-mediated performance assessments

Model-data fit indices for raters provide insight into the degree to which raters demonstrate psychometric properties defined as useful within a measurement framework. Fit statistics for raters are particularly relevant within frameworks based on invariant measurement, such as Rasch measurement theory and Mokken scale analysis. A simple approach to examining invariance is to examine assessment data for evidence of Guttman errors. I used real and simulated data to illustrate and explore a nonparametric procedure for evaluating rater errors based on Guttman errors and to examine the alignment between Guttman errors and other indices of rater fit. The results suggested that researchers and practitioners can use summaries of Guttman errors to identify raters who exhibit misfit. Furthermore, results from the comparisons between summaries of Guttman errors and parametric fit statistics suggested that both approaches detect similar problematic measurement characteristics. Specifically, raters who exhibit many Guttman errors tended to have higher-than-expected Outfit MSE statistics and lower-than-expected estimated slope statistics. I discuss implications of these results as they relate to research and practice for rater-mediated assessments.

Measurement-device-independent quantum private queries by rotation-invariant twisted photons

Quantum private query is an important cryptography protocol aiming to protect both user’s and database’s privacy. However, to execute even the simplest quantum private queries, one must establish and maintain a shared reference frame. Here we propose a rotation-invariant Measurement-device-independent quantum private queries with hybrid encoding approach, combined polarization and transverse spatial modes to overcome the polarization misalignment associated with random rotations in long-distance transmission. The initial encoding and final decoding of information in our protocol can be conveniently performed in the polarization space. Furthermore, our hybrid encoding approach only needs to insert four q-plates in practical experiment and to overcome the polarization misalignment problem.