In a world that is always changing, where economics, policy, and
behavior intersect perhaps more than ever, few ideas have offered a
clearer lens for understanding human decision-making in economics,
policy and diplomacy, sustainability, and more than the Choice Wave.
Originally formulated in 2006 by behavioral scientist, economist, and physicist
Dr. Radislav Rutherford Johnson,
the Choice Wave (also known as Wave Function Probabilistic Demand)
builds on the mathematics of quantum mechanics to offer a radical new
view of economic behavior. By modeling decision-making as probabilistic
and multi-rational rather than fixed and uniform, this theory builds on
prior work is psychological economics, breaking with the long-dominant
notion of a single, universal rationality in economics.
Why It Matters
In simplified terms, traditional economics has long assumed that people
act based on a singular standard of rationality — the so-called
"economic man" model. But real people make decisions in deeply varied,
often unpredictable ways. Behavioral economics has gone far in showing
us that people are not strictly rational. What the Choice Wave does is
go further: it treats all these diverse behaviors not as deviations,
but as valid rationalities in parallel.
Each group of independent decision-makers is modeled as its own Choice
Wave, a mathematically independent (orthogonal) expression of how that
group maximizes utility. Instead of branding behaviors that deviate
from the central average as irrational, the model embraces them as
contextually rational, making it possible to predict actions across
diverse populations with greater accuracy. And, this has been
demonstrated empirically, with real market data sets. Best of all, the
math might be complex, but the functional application is really quite
simple!
Broad Impact Across Disciplines
Dr. Rutherford's work has implications well beyond economics:
- In business, it enables precision segmentation of consumers and smarter marketing strategies.
- In public policy, it models how different stakeholder groups prioritize decisions...and how to align their interests.
- In diplomacy and conflict resolution, it reveals how
strategic misalignment between nations can lead to tension...and how
institutional “bridges” can resolve it.
- In education, it informs differentiated instruction based on behavioral groupings.
He has also extended the theory into the Multipoint Gravitational
Model, which captures how influence flows between actors based on
psychological distance, history, and shared identity, offering new
tools for designing sustainable systems and institutions.
A Foundational Voice in Quantum Economics
As the field of quantum economics continues to evolve, many
contemporary approaches are now exploring probabilistic and wave-based
models of human behavior. Dr. Rutherford’s early and rigorous
application of quantum mathematical principles to economic utility
modeling — as early as 2006 —stands as one of the earliest fully
articulated, data demonstrated frameworks in this emerging discipline.
His Choice Wave theory not only anticipated many of today’s core ideas
but also laid a mathematical and conceptual foundation that others have
since followed, extended, or echoed in adjacent contexts.
Recognition and Scholarship
Dr. Rutherford's academic contributions have appeared in peer-reviewed
journals around the world. Just a few of his publications include:
- The Choice Wave: An Alternative Description of Consumer Behavior (2012)
- A Probabilistic Demand Application in the American Cracker Market (2016)
- Improving Police-Public Conflict Resolution (2021)
- Choice Waves and Strategic Interaction (2017)
His textbook,
Practical Economics in an Ever-Changing World, synthesizes these insights for students, policymakers, and decision-makers navigating complex systems.
Academic Background
Dr. Rutherford studied at Harvard, Georgia Tech, and the University of
Kentucky, with formal training in economics, applied physics, public
policy, medicine, and sustainability. His interdisciplinary expertise
allows him to merge mathematics with social insight, building models
that are both elegant and deeply human.
Explore the Full Theory
Interested in the deeper mathematics and applied modeling of the Choice
Wave, Parallel Rationality, and the Multipoint Gravitational Model?
Read the full technical overview here.
