Interpretations of quantum theory and conceptions of physics majors

This paper investigates the “private” interpretations that students of quantum mechanics develop concerning this theory. By means of questionaires, we analyze their conceptions with respect to the double slit experiment, uncertainty principle, quantum state, retrodiction, and projection postulate. Correlating the students’ answers, we observe that different private interpretations are frequently employed for analyzing different problems. Other conclusions about the cognitive processes of the students are also obtained.