Understanding the concept of Just Noticeable Difference (JND) can transform how we interact with our horses, not just during training sessions, but also in our daily exchanges. JND, a term we have borrowed from sensory psychology, refers to the smallest change in a stimulus that an organism can detect. So, for our horses, it is the smallest noticeable change, to them or their environment.
Why Understanding JND Matters
Safe and effective interactions: Horses have heightened senses, particularly in hearing and vision. They experience the world in ways that often differ significantly from humans. Being aware of our horse’s JND helps us predict their thresholds. That is, how much we need to alter a cue for the horse to perceive the change. If the change is too subtle, our horse might ignore it; if the change is too abrupt, they might become overwhelmed or frightened. Understanding what changes are perceptible to our horses helps us anticipate their responses, which in turn improves the safety and effectiveness of our interactions with them.
Manipulating our Horse’s JND
The relationship between our horse’s JND value and their level of sensitivity is inversely proportional. The higher our horse’s JND, the less sensitive they are. The lower our horse’s JND the more sensitive they are. JND is not a static value. It is just a data point on a spectrum of sensitivity, and it is changeable. We can increase or decrease our horse’s JND (make them more or less sensitive) by controlling the presence (or absence) of stimuli in their environment. This shift in JND can be intentional (eg. systematic desensitization), or unintentional (eg. when our horse becomes unresponsive to cues because we overused them in an ineffective way OR when our horse becomes overly sensitive from being “tip-toed” around). The shift in JND can also be lasting (eg. habituation) or temporary (eg. a change in environment to reduce distractions).
Increasing JND (resulting in less sensitivity):
Overstimulation can lead to sensory fatigue, where a horse becomes less responsive to subtle changes (desensitization/habituation).
Adaptation occurs when horses get used to constant stimuli, raising the JND (this is the mechanism behind systematic desensitization).
Distractions can increase JND as they split the horse's attention, reducing their ability to notice subtle changes (this is why your horse’s level of training appears to decrease in presence of a new or stimuli-rich environment).
Decreasing JND (resulting in more sensitivity):
Contrast enhancement in stimuli, like using a brightly colored ribbon on training equipment, makes changes more noticeable.
Distraction-free environment helps horses focus on subtle differences without competing stimuli (this is also a form of contrast enchantment).
Emotional states like anxiety can heighten sensitivity, lowering the JND as the horse becomes hyper-vigilant to their surroundings.
Practical Applications
To recap, we can increase or decrease our horse’s JND by controlling stimuli in their environment (including our own behavior). Changes in our horse’s JND can be lasting or temporary.
Applying this knowledge of JND empowers us to implement the following practices:
Finding intentional, informed and compassionate starting points for teaching new behaviors.
Using clear, distinct, intentional signals in training to avoid confusion, fear or inadvertent desensitization.
Recognizing when a horse's focus might be compromised due to external or internal distractions. Adjusting expectations accordingly, and manipulating environments to facilitate a desired level of focus.
Ultimately, understanding our horse’s JND will lead to more empathetic and effective communication. It will help us more accurately assess our horse's sensory capabilities and emotional state, and enable us to make informed adjustments to the training environment to foster improved outcomes and relationships.
Commentaires