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In the appraisal of biological significance, visual consciousness is faster than you think

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 June 2026

Paul Siegel Open the ORCID record for Paul Siegel [Opens in a new window]
Paul Siegel*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Keck School of Medicine and Childrens’ Hospital Los Angeles, University of Southern California, Purchase College/SUNY, Purchase, NY, USA paul.siegel@purchase.edu https://www.purchase.edu/live/profiles/671-paul-siegel
*
*Corresponding author.
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Abstract

Evaluation of biological significance in the visual cortex occurs along multiple parallel pathways to provide fast but coarse processing. This was critical when visual horizons were expanded by the sea-to-land transition, which meant broader visual exposure to a range of survival threats. Response latencies in the macaque cortex and postdictive effects of evolutionary-relevant stimuli in humans attest to fast visual processing.

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Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 49 , 2026 , e192
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2026. Published by Cambridge University Press

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