Front Psychol June 2022 PMID 35756294

Seeing the Forest for the Trees, and the Ground Below My Beak: Global and Local Processing in the Pigeon's Visual System.

William Clark, Michael Colombo

Mentions

28
Peak: 4 in Mar 2025
across 3 sources since Nov 2022

Extended reach

2,938,300
potential audience

Total likes

108,808

Video views

2,937,605

Mentions per month

Nov 2022 – Aug 2025

Where it's discussed

  • Bluesky24 posts
  • X / Twitter2 posts
  • YouTube2 videos

AI synopsis

What people are saying

The analysis reflects a shared appreciation for the metaphor of 'seeing the forest for the trees,' as many posts use it to critique narrow focus in politics, media, and social issues. The tone varies from serious to humorous, conveying both concern and familiarity with the idiom, which influences the overall moderate scores assigned.

AgreementModerate agreement

Most discussions recognize the importance of understanding the larger context or 'the forest' in various situations, reflecting support for the metaphor.

InterestHigh interest

Posts show high engagement with the idea, often relating it to politics, societal issues, and media analysis, indicating strong interest.

EngagementModerate engagement

Many comments delve into detailed reflections, with some questioning or emphasizing the metaphor's relevance, showing moderate to deep engagement.

ImpactModerate impact

Discussions highlight how recognizing the bigger picture could potentially influence perceptions and decision-making, but the overall impact remains moderate.

Abstract in brief

  • Pigeons tend to rely on local features of stimuli to solve behavioral tasks, especially in small-scale environments, but they become better at processing global information in larger-scale environments.
  • This difference is mediated by two separate pathways in the pigeon retina: the tectofugal pathway, which focuses on local shape details, and the thalamofugal pathway, which is involved in global spatial processing and environmental representation.
  • The neural mechanisms underlying these pathways show how pigeons switch between local and global strategies, with the tectofugal pathway concentrating on shape complexity and the thalamofugal pathway working with the hippocampus to build a map of their surroundings.

Top posts

Most liked on X and Bluesky
〽️ax krieger does the damn thing
@maxkriegervg.bsky.social · Bluesky

this segment sticks out conspicuously as not seeing the forest for the trees and disintegrates after. the author is /so/ close to making a profound point abt how games writing is in a vulnerable transition between the paradigms of product review and media crit, and fumbles it over trauma projection

May 16, 2025 · 28 likes · 3 shares View post →
Samsara Final Girl
@eris.anarchogoth.rip · Bluesky

but you're not making a good reading of the text here. you're looking at what the specific discussion the book i engaging in, and saying the act of engaging in it is the issue. it's not seeing the forest for the trees and you're ignoring that it's a specific metaphor for a specifically British-

Mar 16, 2025 · 25 likes · 1 share View post →
John T. Hill
@awesometania.bsky.social · Bluesky

Grok is using tons of water and poisoning neighborhoods in Memphis. It is never nailing anything. Please start seeing the forest for the trees and stop this hashtag resistance nonsense for engagement. It is not journalism and it accomplishes nothing.

Aug 2, 2025 · 22 likes · 3 shares View post →
LexUltimaVeritas
@lexultimaveritas.bsky.social · Bluesky

It’s a weak position and wrong to attack a job. Every time you attack the job instead of the actual issue the real bad guys breathe a sigh of relief because they know you still aren’t seeing the forest for the trees and blame all ills on the generic mass instead of the specific perpetrators

Jul 22, 2025 · 8 likes · 4 shares View post →
Shutdown Tyranny
@shutdowntyranny.bsky.social · Bluesky

This an excellent analysis of the spoken and visual rhetoric being deployed. While not directly applicable to #shutdown315, it’s an important framework for seeing the forest for the trees and not taking the bait.

Mar 27, 2025 · 5 likes · 4 shares View post →
Deeply Blue
@kayll.bsky.social · Bluesky

I’m stunned, that this sabotage by this regime is occurring surely and steadily. So many conversations seem adjacent to the decimation of the country. I’m seeing the forest for the trees and it’s devastating

Apr 4, 2025 · 4 likes View post →

All mentions

Michael Ray Williams
@michaelraywilliams.bsky.social · Bluesky

You are legitimately not seeing the forest for the trees, and I dont have the patience to hand hold.

Aug 2, 2025 View post →
John T. Hill
@awesometania.bsky.social · Bluesky

Grok is using tons of water and poisoning neighborhoods in Memphis. It is never nailing anything. Please start seeing the forest for the trees and stop this hashtag resistance nonsense for engagement. It is not journalism and it accomplishes nothing.

Aug 2, 2025 · 22 likes · 3 shares View post →
LexUltimaVeritas
@lexultimaveritas.bsky.social · Bluesky

It’s a weak position and wrong to attack a job. Every time you attack the job instead of the actual issue the real bad guys breathe a sigh of relief because they know you still aren’t seeing the forest for the trees and blame all ills on the generic mass instead of the specific perpetrators

Jul 22, 2025 · 8 likes · 4 shares View post →
Little Sheba
@littlesheba.bsky.social · Bluesky

Can someone chime in here? Jason is not seeing the forest for the trees. And I'm spent. Just one post to maybe get his head out of his arse. Many thanks.

May 26, 2025 View post →
New Leaf
@newleaf.bsky.social · Bluesky

There's not seeing the forest for the trees and then there's being a tiny organism entirely dependent on the forest for your role in the ecosystem.

May 25, 2025 View post →
〽️ax krieger does the damn thing
@maxkriegervg.bsky.social · Bluesky

this segment sticks out conspicuously as not seeing the forest for the trees and disintegrates after. the author is /so/ close to making a profound point abt how games writing is in a vulnerable transition between the paradigms of product review and media crit, and fumbles it over trauma projection

May 16, 2025 · 28 likes · 3 shares View post →
Rege
@rjserinko.bsky.social · Bluesky

When do you start seeing the forest for the trees? And loudly state that That Fucking Asshole is an incompetent Nazi not deserving of the benefit of the doubt.

Apr 22, 2025 · 2 likes View post →
Annals of Botany
@annbot.bsky.social · Bluesky

What advice would you give to students or researchers interested in plant sciences? “The best advice I can give is to keep following the topics that interest you the most.” (8/10)

Apr 8, 2025 · 1 like · 1 share View post →
Deeply Blue
@kayll.bsky.social · Bluesky

I’m stunned, that this sabotage by this regime is occurring surely and steadily. So many conversations seem adjacent to the decimation of the country. I’m seeing the forest for the trees and it’s devastating

Apr 4, 2025 · 4 likes View post →
Brink
@brinkofgaming.bsky.social · Bluesky

I think it's just important to look at the WHOLE gaming landscape and seeing the forest for the trees. And by that I mean Korok Forest in 4K at 60 FPS :P

Apr 2, 2025 · 1 like View post →
Shutdown Tyranny
@shutdowntyranny.bsky.social · Bluesky

This an excellent analysis of the spoken and visual rhetoric being deployed. While not directly applicable to #shutdown315, it’s an important framework for seeing the forest for the trees and not taking the bait.

Mar 27, 2025 · 5 likes · 4 shares View post →
Samsara Final Girl
@eris.anarchogoth.rip · Bluesky

but you're not making a good reading of the text here. you're looking at what the specific discussion the book i engaging in, and saying the act of engaging in it is the issue. it's not seeing the forest for the trees and you're ignoring that it's a specific metaphor for a specifically British-

Mar 16, 2025 · 25 likes · 1 share View post →
exxzackly.bsky.social
@exxzackly.bsky.social · Bluesky

They stopped seeing the forest for the trees, and starting blaming the wrong people out of some weird, circular, backwards logic :P

Mar 15, 2025 · 2 likes · 3 shares View post →
Daniel Scarfone, Cigarette Wife
@danielscarfone.bsky.social · Bluesky

If you think that one vote every four years is the sum total of why America is in the state it's in, you are not seeing the forest for the trees, and I can't help you here. And how has 10 years of "calling them out" worked out so far?

Mar 1, 2025 View post →
Kelly N
@firefly-7461.bsky.social · Bluesky

It's gone way beyond that at this point...part of the problem is american lawyers not seeing the forest for the trees...and america is now hanging by a twig

Feb 9, 2025 View post →
princessruth.bsky.social
@princessruth.bsky.social · Bluesky

The media seems to be not seeing the forest for the trees and need to zoom out and report the complete dismantling of all the institutions that define us and have kept us safe from our adversaries

Feb 3, 2025 · 1 like View post →
fn-ix
@fnix.link · Bluesky

Dems end up seeming feckless while Trump displays at least some sort of affirmative vision, despicable as it may be, and that's what wins in politics. Not seeing the forest for the trees and getting stuck on some individual data point while ignoring wider context is classic centrist pundit behavior.

Jan 16, 2025 · 1 share View post →
Dusty McDusterson (He/Him)
@dustymcdusterson.bsky.social · Bluesky

Its almost like we need to do the opposite of the old idiom of "not seeing the forest for the trees", and instead "see the tiny critters for the forest."...I think that's right, my brains a jumble today.

Jan 6, 2025 · 1 like · 1 share View post →
libby
@heylibby.bsky.social · Bluesky

For some reason, this immediately made me think of not seeing the forest for the trees. And, in my brain, there is a correlation.

Dec 6, 2024 · 1 like View post →
The Traveler
@wrongtimelineguy.bsky.social · Bluesky

Oh, you're definitely being hostile. And I get it. You have to do a lot of heavy lifting for your age demographic because most of them aren't as enlightened but you're not seeing the forest for the trees and you're assuming the worst from me. That will lose you allies if you keep doing it.

Dec 6, 2024 · 1 share View post →
Mop Closet
@mopcloset.bsky.social · Bluesky

You know this shit is systematic right? It's not some coincidence or grand mystery.... Keep crime in Mexico. Holy shit y'all are sooooo close to seeing the forest for the trees and then figuring out each tree was planted there purposely...... It's sorta cute watching y'all start to get it.....

Nov 26, 2024 · 1 like View post →
Sholante
@tiphseven.bsky.social · Bluesky

Sis said fuck y’all and them fake ass tears for acceptance. Y’all not finna run ME dry. She should of never been judged for seeing the forest for the trees and not participating. This is THEM.

Nov 21, 2024 View post →
Kelly Cole
@mid-lifebarbie.bsky.social · Bluesky

You have to wonder if they are seeing the forest for the trees and tryna look like heroes. Remember, they could have prevented this future hellscape twice.

Nov 13, 2024 · 1 like View post →
Former Gifted Child / Adult Failure
@twomuchfun.club · Bluesky

Endless profits for promises to platform other people's success when it's never the case. They always rug pull. You have to understand the stage we're at. They're willing to burn these companies down and run. They're seeing the forest for the trees and it's time to pull out or risk a massive crash.

Jul 29, 2024 · 2 likes · 2 shares View post →
Gary Ritchison
@GaryRitchison · X

Seeing the Forest for the Trees, and the Ground Below My Beak: Global and Local Processing in the Pigeon’s Visual System https://t.co/FmUdsLaCkQ

Dec 3, 2022 · 324 followers View post →
Gary Ritchison
@GaryRitchison · X

Seeing the Forest for the Trees, and the Ground Below My Beak: Global and Local Processing in the Pigeon’s Visual System https://t.co/pUNvdO4w3j

Nov 18, 2022 · 324 followers View post →