Averi Schirmers, FCLC 2027

Major: Integrative Neuroscience

Bio: Averi Schirmers is a junior at Fordham College at Lincoln Center pursuing a B.S. in Integrative Neuroscience with a concentration in Cell and Molecular Neuroscience on the Pre-Health track. She has conducted research under the mentorship of Fordham professors and at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Neurology Department. After graduation, Averi plans to pursue a career in medicine, combining research and clinical experience to advance patient care.

Title of Research: The Persistence of the “Moving Things Are Alive” Heuristic Under Positive and Negative Association Prompts

Mentor: Dr. John Ruppert, Natural Sciences

Research Partner: Patrick Biernat

Abstract: Heuristics, or mental shortcuts, facilitate quick decision-making but can also lead to inaccurate interpretations of natural and social processes, making it difficult to separate fact from fiction. Heuristics, however, are not rigid and are shaped by culture, education, and experience. One common heuristic, the 'moving things are alive' heuristic, is the first biological heuristic observed using Electroencephalographic (EEG) data. This heuristic is tightly linked to a set of phenomenological primitives that associate movement and sustained effort with life, yet it is challenged as children learn that plants are alive. Despite this learning, the heuristic often persists into adulthood, particularly when individuals encounter non-moving living or moving, non-living things. Evidence indicates that when adults decide if a plant is alive, the brain engages inhibitory control, a form of slow, deliberate thinking. Inhibitory control supports analytical reasoning, allowing individuals to override intuitive responses that automatically associate movement with life. Existing neurological evidence for the 'moving things are alive' heuristic, however, has largely relied on positive association prompts. Introducing negative association prompts allows researchers to test whether participants can actively reject their initial intuitive responses rather than merely confirming life. This approach increases cognitive demand and provides a more rigorous assessment of the heuristic. In our study, adult participants were presented with both positive and negative prompts while EEG signals were recorded. Data from a broader adult sample have yielded less conclusive results regarding the persistence of this heuristic and engagement of inhibitory control, suggesting cultural, educational, and experiential factors may influence its expression in adulthood.