John Carlos BaezFeb 22

THE BOUBA/KIKI EFFECT

Which of these shapes looks like the sound "bouba", and which looks like the sound "kiki"?

People of all cultures agree on this, and now it's been found that baby chicks do too:

https://phys.org/news/2026-02-bouba-kiki-effect-baby-chicks.html

It may seem weird that sounds should robustly match with shapes, but I think it follows from physics - and living as we do in the physical world, it pays for us to make these associations.

For more:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bouba/kiki_effect

Thanks to Alex at https://mathstodon.xyz/@WizardOfDocs@wandering.shop/116115329367345332 for pointing out the news about baby chicks!

Show threadBenjohnFeb 22

@johncarlosbaez are you thinking rounded things are more likely to make rounded booming sounds? Maybe tree stumps and such. Sharp pointy things are more likely to make sharp crunchy plinky noises. Dried seed pods, shards of rock, maybe bone fragments?

But then, rounded flints can be very plinky! Hmm

Show threadJohn Carlos BaezFeb 22
@benjohn - I think you're right. Round fruits, rubber balls, all that sort of stuff is more bouba-y. Of course there are exceptions, but presumably what matters is what we meet the most.
Show threadBenjohn
@johncarlosbaez tummies are very Bouba :-) Heh.
Feb 23 at 6:55pmWeb