Survey Results

Quantum mechanics: epistemic, hidden-variables, many-worlds, or collapse?


556 respondents
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What the percentages mean: "Accept or lean toward P: 50% (40%)" means that 50% of respondents endorsed this answer inclusively (including multiple-answer endorsements) and 40% endorsed this answer exclusively (excluding multiple-answer endorsements).

These results should not be used for comparison to 2009 results due to different populations and parameters. For meaningful longitudinal comparisons, see the longitudinal analysis section.

Accept or lean towards:
collapse
17.09% (14.75%)
Reject or lean against:
collapse
1.80% (0.00%)
Accept or lean towards:
hidden-variables
21.94% (18.71%)
Reject or lean against:
hidden-variables
1.80% (0.00%)
Accept or lean towards:
many-worlds
19.42% (17.09%)
Reject or lean against:
many-worlds
3.24% (0.00%)
Accept or lean towards:
epistemic
12.77% (11.33%)
Reject or lean against:
epistemic
3.06% (0.00%)
Accept a combination of views
6.12%
Accept an alternative view
3.78%
The question is too unclear to answer
1.80%
There is no fact of the matter
1.80%
Agnostic/undecided
24.28%
Other
0.36%
N = 556, excluding skipped & insufficiently familiar (558 respondents)
Alternative Views

25 target respondents indicated that they accept or lean toward an alternative view. The words used in their responses cluster as follows. These results are not filtered by AOS, region, etc.

  • NONE (4): none (4)
  • RELA (3): relational (2) relative (1)

Longitudinal comparison to 2009 survey

This question was not in the 2009 survey

Strongest correlations with main questions (target population)

r: 0.46
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 47 27
Reject 31 272
n: 377
p < 0.0001
r: 0.35
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 23 68
Reject 11 328
n: 430
p < 0.0001
r: 0.28
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 42 41
Reject 87 227
n: 397
p < 0.0001
r: 0.28
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 63 25
Reject 134 205
n: 427
p < 0.0001
r: 0.27
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 51 41
Reject 114 213
n: 419
p < 0.0001
r: 0.27
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 42 47
Reject 58 261
n: 408
p < 0.0001
r: -0.24
Quantum mechanics: collapse Accept Reject
Accept 8 64
Reject 70 235
n: 377
p < 0.0001
r: 0.23
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 17 62
Reject 21 252
n: 352
p < 0.0001
r: 0.22
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 46 52
Reject 98 270
n: 466
p < 0.0001
r: -0.22
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 14 44
Reject 93 114
n: 265
p: 0.0004
r: 0.2
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 8 80
Reject 10 329
n: 427
p < 0.0001
r: -0.2
Quantum mechanics: epistemic Accept Reject
Accept 5 44
Reject 73 254
n: 376
p < 0.0001
r: 0.2
Quantum mechanics: epistemic Accept Reject
Accept 26 35
Reject 85 284
n: 430
p < 0.0001
r: -0.2
Quantum mechanics: epistemic Accept Reject
Accept 25 16
Reject 140 97
n: 278
p: 0.0009
r: 0.2
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 47 26
Reject 119 162
n: 354
p: 0.0002
r: 0.2
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 29 29
Reject 68 139
n: 265
p: 0.0013
r: 0.2
Quantum mechanics: hidden-variables Accept Reject
Accept 19 45
Reject 24 169
n: 257
p: 0.0016
r: 0.19
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 5 53
Reject 18 189
n: 265
p: 0.0017
r: 0.19
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 19 54
Reject 30 219
n: 322
p: 0.0006
r: 0.19
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 66 25
Reject 145 176
n: 412
p < 0.0001
r: -0.19
Quantum mechanics: collapse Accept Reject
Accept 24 18
Reject 142 94
n: 278
p: 0.0019
r: -0.18
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 13 59
Reject 101 203
n: 376
p: 0.0004
r: 0.18
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 95 1
Reject 271 72
n: 439
p: 0.0002
r: 0.18
Quantum mechanics: hidden-variables Accept Reject
Accept 48 25
Reject 96 145
n: 314
p: 0.0016
r: 0.18
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 40 35
Reject 82 185
n: 342
p: 0.001
r: 0.17
Quantum mechanics: epistemic Accept Reject
Accept 15 34
Reject 53 279
n: 381
p: 0.0006
r: 0.17
Quantum mechanics: epistemic Accept Reject
Accept 16 36
Reject 69 269
n: 390
p: 0.0006
r: 0.17
Quantum mechanics: epistemic Accept Reject
Accept 5 38
Reject 23 287
n: 353
p: 0.0011
r: 0.17
Quantum mechanics: epistemic Accept Reject
Accept 12 37
Reject 58 268
n: 375
p: 0.0009
r: 0.17
Quantum mechanics: hidden-variables Accept Reject
Accept 14 58
Reject 27 208
n: 307
p: 0.0027
r: 0.17
Quantum mechanics: collapse Accept Reject
Accept 6 51
Reject 16 234
n: 307
p: 0.0029
r: -0.17
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 61 36
Reject 277 84
n: 458
p: 0.0003
r: 0.17
Quantum mechanics: epistemic Accept Reject
Accept 16 27
Reject 65 276
n: 384
p: 0.0009
r: 0.17
Quantum mechanics: epistemic Accept Reject
Accept 19 18
Reject 81 139
n: 257
p: 0.0068
r: 0.17
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 26 28
Reject 65 137
n: 256
p: 0.0071
r: 0.17
Quantum mechanics: epistemic Accept Reject
Accept 11 21
Reject 37 239
n: 308
p: 0.0032
r: 0.17
Quantum mechanics: hidden-variables Accept Reject
Accept 103 14
Reject 277 93
n: 487
p: 0.0002
r: -0.17
Quantum mechanics: hidden-variables Accept Reject
Accept 14 59
Reject 75 166
n: 314
p: 0.0029
r: -0.17
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 8 65
Reject 60 222
n: 355
p: 0.0016
r: 0.17
Quantum mechanics: hidden-variables Accept Reject
Accept 35 33
Reject 65 128
n: 261
p: 0.0073
r: 0.17
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 41 40
Reject 115 196
n: 392
p: 0.001
r: 0.16
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 32 38
Reject 85 187
n: 342
p: 0.0023
r: 0.16
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 72 24
Reject 223 121
n: 440
p: 0.0006
r: 0.16
Quantum mechanics: epistemic Accept Reject
Accept 26 20
Reject 99 210
n: 355
p: 0.0025
r: 0.16
Quantum mechanics: hidden-variables Accept Reject
Accept 52 27
Reject 130 150
n: 359
p: 0.0025
r: 0.16
Quantum mechanics: collapse Accept Reject
Accept 31 41
Reject 83 221
n: 376
p: 0.002
r: -0.16
Quantum mechanics: collapse Accept Reject
Accept 22 53
Reject 130 216
n: 421
p: 0.0012
r: -0.16
Quantum mechanics: collapse Accept Reject
Accept 11 65
Reject 89 243
n: 408
p: 0.0016
r: 0.15
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 63 27
Reject 150 161
n: 401
p: 0.0019
r: 0.15
Quantum mechanics: collapse Accept Reject
Accept 25 45
Reject 64 254
n: 388
p: 0.0025
r: 0.15
Quantum mechanics: epistemic Accept Reject
Accept 16 15
Reject 91 143
n: 265
p: 0.0127
r: -0.15
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 32 48
Reject 169 103
n: 352
p: 0.0043
r: -0.15
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 15 61
Reject 87 205
n: 368
p: 0.0036
r: 0.15
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 9 59
Reject 26 240
n: 334
p: 0.0058
r: 0.15
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 38 26
Reject 114 118
n: 296
p: 0.0096
r: -0.15
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 22 48
Reject 118 154
n: 342
p: 0.0062
r: -0.15
Quantum mechanics: epistemic Accept Reject
Accept 10 47
Reject 128 235
n: 420
p: 0.0026
r: 0.15
Quantum mechanics: collapse Accept Reject
Accept 12 43
Reject 29 237
n: 321
p: 0.009
r: -0.15
Quantum mechanics: hidden-variables Accept Reject
Accept 35 46
Reject 113 129
n: 323
p: 0.0089
r: -0.14
Quantum mechanics: hidden-variables Accept Reject
Accept 29 65
Reject 127 172
n: 393
p: 0.0041
r: 0.14
Quantum mechanics: hidden-variables Accept Reject
Accept 29 65
Reject 57 240
n: 391
p: 0.0043
r: 0.14
Quantum mechanics: epistemic Accept Reject
Accept 12 27
Reject 95 188
n: 322
p: 0.0097
r: -0.14
Quantum mechanics: hidden-variables Accept Reject
Accept 40 50
Reject 154 144
n: 388
p: 0.005
r: -0.14
Quantum mechanics: epistemic Accept Reject
Accept 9 45
Reject 83 272
n: 409
p: 0.004
r: -0.14
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 36 62
Reject 182 170
n: 450
p: 0.0026
r: 0.14
Quantum mechanics: epistemic Accept Reject
Accept 23 21
Reject 115 195
n: 354
p: 0.0078
r: 0.14
Quantum mechanics: epistemic Accept Reject
Accept 6 37
Reject 26 283
n: 352
p: 0.0081
r: 0.14
Quantum mechanics: epistemic Accept Reject
Accept 6 36
Reject 52 287
n: 381
p: 0.0062
r: 0.14
Quantum mechanics: hidden-variables Accept Reject
Accept 34 52
Reject 78 193
n: 357
p: 0.0082
r: 0.14
Quantum mechanics: hidden-variables Accept Reject
Accept 63 48
Reject 173 195
n: 479
p: 0.0023
r: -0.14
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 15 71
Reject 111 224
n: 421
p: 0.0042
r: 0.14
Quantum mechanics: epistemic Accept Reject
Accept 23 46
Reject 81 335
n: 485
p: 0.0021
r: 0.14
Quantum mechanics: epistemic Accept Reject
Accept 14 34
Reject 52 258
n: 358
p: 0.0093
r: -0.14
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 13 69
Reject 97 223
n: 402
p: 0.0058
r: 0.14
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 50 27
Reject 171 140
n: 388
p: 0.0073
r: 0.14
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 27 55
Reject 58 263
n: 403
p: 0.0066
r: 0.14
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 43 41
Reject 139 167
n: 390
p: 0.0076
r: -0.13
Quantum mechanics: epistemic Accept Reject
Accept 18 39
Reject 178 191
n: 426
p: 0.0054
r: 0.13
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 72 29
Reject 200 164
n: 465
p: 0.004
r: -0.13
Quantum mechanics: collapse Accept Reject
Accept 23 47
Reject 128 192
n: 390
p: 0.0089
r: 0.13
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 23 63
Reject 51 246
n: 383
p: 0.0096
r: 0.13
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 31 55
Reject 61 262
n: 409
p: 0.0075
r: 0.13
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 61 26
Reject 176 160
n: 423
p: 0.0066
r: 0.13
Quantum mechanics: epistemic Accept Reject
Accept 22 26
Reject 79 214
n: 341
p: 0.015
r: -0.13
Quantum mechanics: collapse Accept Reject
Accept 30 44
Reject 172 157
n: 403
p: 0.0082
r: 0.13
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 16 52
Reject 28 238
n: 334
p: 0.0168
r: 0.13
Quantum mechanics: epistemic Accept Reject
Accept 7 34
Reject 18 261
n: 320
p: 0.0206
r: -0.13
Quantum mechanics: epistemic Accept Reject
Accept 12 40
Reject 88 267
n: 407
p: 0.0101
r: 0.13
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 43 53
Reject 114 223
n: 433
p: 0.0083
r: -0.13
Quantum mechanics: collapse Accept Reject
Accept 18 55
Reject 111 213
n: 397
p: 0.0116
r: -0.13
Quantum mechanics: hidden-variables Accept Reject
Accept 46 51
Reject 178 120
n: 395
p: 0.0122
r: 0.13
Quantum mechanics: hidden-variables Accept Reject
Accept 44 56
Reject 95 226
n: 421
p: 0.0097
r: 0.13
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Accept Reject
Accept 13 75
Reject 23 316
n: 427
p: 0.0094
r: -0.13
Quantum mechanics: collapse Accept Reject
Accept 11 66
Reject 81 245
n: 403
p: 0.0118
r: -0.12
Quantum mechanics: collapse Accept Reject
Accept 17 68
Reject 127 254
n: 466
p: 0.007
r: -0.12
Quantum mechanics: hidden-variables Accept Reject
Accept 29 84
Reject 114 239
n: 466
p: 0.0073
r: -0.12
Quantum mechanics: hidden-variables Accept Reject
Accept 18 82
Reject 93 228
n: 421
p: 0.0113
r: -0.12
Quantum mechanics: epistemic Accept Reject
Accept 18 37
Reject 193 163
n: 411
p: 0.0127
r: 0.12
Quantum mechanics: epistemic Accept Reject
Accept 17 25
Reject 72 199
n: 313
p: 0.0298
r: -0.12
Quantum mechanics: epistemic Accept Reject
Accept 46 12
Reject 319 61
n: 438
p: 0.0103

Strongest correlations with demographic questions (target population)

r: 0.18
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Yes No
Accept 24 66
Reject 32 283
n: 405
p: 0.0003
r: 0.17
Quantum mechanics: epistemic Yes No
Accept 13 48
Reject 20 324
n: 405
p: 0.0007
r: 0.16
Quantum mechanics: hidden-variables Yes No
Accept 8 87
Reject 5 306
n: 406
p: 0.001
r: 0.15
Quantum mechanics: hidden-variables Yes No
Accept 6 89
Reject 5 306
n: 406
p: 0.002
r: -0.15
Quantum mechanics: epistemic Yes No
Accept 11 57
Reject 159 273
n: 500
p: 0.0011
r: 0.12
Quantum mechanics: hidden-variables Yes No
Accept 12 109
Reject 18 368
n: 507
p: 0.0067
r: 0.11
Quantum mechanics: hidden-variables Yes No
Accept 7 81
Reject 8 286
n: 382
p: 0.0272
r: 0.11
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Yes No
Accept 13 77
Reject 20 295
n: 405
p: 0.0239
r: -0.11
Quantum mechanics: hidden-variables Yes No
Accept 5 90
Reject 45 266
n: 406
p: 0.0249
r: 0.1
Quantum mechanics: collapse Yes No
Accept 5 66
Reject 9 325
n: 405
p: 0.0356
r: -0.1
Quantum mechanics: collapse Yes No
Accept 6 65
Reject 50 284
n: 405
p: 0.038
r: 0.1
Quantum mechanics: collapse Yes No
Accept 13 80
Reject 18 390
n: 501
p: 0.0255
r: 0.1
Quantum mechanics: collapse Yes No
Accept 18 76
Reject 45 369
n: 508
p: 0.0263
r: 0.1
Quantum mechanics: hidden-variables Yes No
Accept 11 84
Reject 13 298
n: 406
p: 0.0487
r: 0.1
Quantum mechanics: epistemic Yes No
Accept 5 63
Reject 22 410
n: 500
p: 0.0322
r: 0.09
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Yes No
Accept 17 90
Reject 37 357
n: 501
p: 0.0398
r: 0.09
Quantum mechanics: many-worlds Yes No
Accept 8 99
Reject 12 382
n: 501
p: 0.0414
r: 0.09
Quantum mechanics: epistemic Yes No
Accept 11 57
Reject 42 390
n: 500
p: 0.0469