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Scientific reports2017; 7(1); 15283; doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-15654-5

Spontaneous attention-capture by auditory distractors as predictor of distractibility: a study of domestic horses (Equus caballus).

Abstract: Distractibility (i.e. individual distraction from his ongoing activity) is thoughts to affect daily life. The present study develops an easy way to assess inter-individual variations of distractibility of an animal model, the domestic horse. We developed the 'distractibility test' (DT), based on auditory stimuli, a major source of distraction in daily life. We hypothesized that the broadcast of unusual sounds would provide a reliable source of distraction and that the responses to these unusual sounds would yield a good estimation of a horse's level of distractibility. Validity of the DT was assessed by comparing the subjects' interest towards the sound in this test to their attentional state in experimental visual attention tasks and in a working task. Our results showed inter-individual differences in response to the stimuli, with consistency over time. The subjects' responses to this DT were negatively correlated to their attentional skills in separate experimental tests and in a working task. This is to our knowledge the first 'real-world' estimate of an animal's distractibility in its home environment that could potentially be adapted for humans.
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Publication Date: 2017-11-10 PubMed ID: 29127367PubMed Central: PMC5681571DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-15654-5Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research aims to develop a simple way of measuring the level of distractibility in horses using a ‘distractibility test’. This test utilizes unusual sounds to capture the subject’s attention, and the response to these sounds is considered indicative of the horse’s level of distractibility. Differences were observed between individual horses and consistent over time. The findings correlate with the horses’ attentional skills in separate experimental tests and work tasks.

Development of the Distractibility Test

  • Researchers aimed to harness the distraction caused by auditory stimuli in daily life to create a measure of distractibility.
  • An experimental method called the ‘distractibility test’ (DT) was created, with its basis being the broadcast of unusual sounds, expected to act as reliable distractions.
  • This test was developed for use with the domestic horse as an animal model, with the goal of measuring inter-individual levels of distractibility.

Validity of the Distractibility Test

  • The validity of the distractibility test was determined by examining whether the subject horse’s interest in the unusual sound during the DT was comparable to their attentional state in other experimental visual attention tasks and working tasks.
  • The horses’ responses to the sounds in the DT were compared with their attentional skills in separate experimental tests and in a working task for validity.

Results and Implications

  • Results indicated a variation in response to the auditory stimuli between individual horses and over time, which confirmed the hypothesis that these broadcasts could be a reliable source of distraction.
  • Following the test, the subjects’ reactions were found to be inversely correlated with their attention skills in separate experimental routines and in a working task.
  • This suggests that the distractibility test could be used to estimate the distractibility level of an animal in its natural environment.
  • The authors suggest that this is the first time a ‘real-world’ animal distractibility test has been created in a home environment, and that it could be adapted for use with humans.

Cite This Article

APA
Rochais C, Henry S, Hausberger M. (2017). Spontaneous attention-capture by auditory distractors as predictor of distractibility: a study of domestic horses (Equus caballus). Sci Rep, 7(1), 15283. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-15654-5

Publication

Scientific reports
ISSN: 2045-2322
NlmUniqueID: 101563288
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 7
Issue: 1
Pages: 15283
PII: 15283

Researcher Affiliations

Rochais, C
  • Université de Rennes 1, UMR CNRS 6552 - Laboratoire Ethologie Animale et Humaine-EthoS- Station Biologique, 35380, Paimpont, France. celine.rochais@gmail.com.
Henry, S
  • Université de Rennes 1, UMR CNRS 6552 - Laboratoire Ethologie Animale et Humaine-EthoS- Station Biologique, 35380, Paimpont, France.
Hausberger, M
  • CNRS- UMR 6552 Université de Rennes 1, - Laboratoire Ethologie Animale et Humaine- 263 avenue du général Leclerc, 35042, Rennes cedex, France.

MeSH Terms

  • Acoustic Stimulation
  • Animals
  • Attention / physiology
  • Auditory Perception / physiology
  • Female
  • Horses
  • Male

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Citations

This article has been cited 14 times.
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