Wavefunction Collapse May Require Duration: Processing Delays in Responding to Quantum Stimuli Depend on Prior Observation Status

Richard James Lucido

Published Jul 20, 2026• 0 citations

Abstract

This study builds upon previous experiments testing the Consciousness Causes Collapse (CCC) hypothesis. Previous studies by the author investigated the CCC using subliminal priming. This current experiment simplifies the paradigm by removing primes entirely and focusing directly on the temporal duration of wavefunction collapse. We hypothesize that consciousness is discrete and operates in temporal chunks. Therefore, if consciousness causes the wavefunction of a quantum event to collapse, this interaction cannot be instantaneous; it must require a measurable duration of time. To test this, participants will complete a reaction time (RT) task categorizing numbers (derived from quantum events via a Geiger counter) as odd or even. Half of the stimuli will be previously observed by the experimenter (already collapsed), and half will remain unobserved (superposition state). We expect that unobserved stimuli will yield slower reaction times because the participant's consciousness must force the collapse during the task, adding a delay.

DOI: 10.17605/osf.io/ky7ea

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