Prof. Dr. Rafael Maior (University of Brasília, Brazil) will give a lecture entitled “Evolution of the Primate Visual System for Threat Detection”.
About the Speaker:
Dr. Rafael Maior is an Associate Professor at the Dept. of Physiological Sciences (University of Brasília, Brazil). He holds a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Brasília (2003), an M.Sc. in Neurophysiology from the University of Toyama (2007), and a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of Brasília (2011). He completed postdoctoral training in Neuropharmacology at the Karolinska Institute, Sweden (2015–2016) and at Georgetown University Medical Center, USA (2021-2022; 2023). His research focuses on neurophysiology and psychopharmacology, with particular emphasis on non-human primate models, emotion, psychiatric disorders, and the evolution of the nervous system.
When/Where: 26th January 2026, 14h00, at Universidade de Aveiro (Room 5.3.27 DEP).
Abstract:
Threatening stimuli, such as aggressive facial expressions of conspecifics and snakes, are thought to have played a significant role in shaping the visual system of modern primates. Converging evidence from multiple disciplines—including neurophysiology, psychology, and phylogenetics—suggests the existence of adaptive visual specializations across primate species that facilitate the rapid detection of biologically relevant threats. These specializations appear to be particularly pronounced in subcortical visual pathways. In this talk, findings from behavioral and neurophysiological studies in both human and nonhuman primates will be reviewed within the framework of the Snake Detection Theory. Finally, the major criticisms and limitations of this theoretical approach will be critically evaluated in light of recent empirical evidence.
WJCR 