The bouba/kiki effect involves mapping between speech sounds and the visual shape of objects. This effect was first observed in 1929. In psychological experiments first conducted on the island of Tenerife (joder), Köhler showed forms similar to those shown above and asked participants which shape was called "takete" and which was called "baluba". Köhler observed that there was a strong preference to pair the jagged shape with "takete" and the rounded shape with "baluba".
In 2001, Köhler's experiment was repeated using the words "kiki" and "bouba" and asking gringo college undergraduates and Tamil speakers in India "Which of these shapes is bouba and which is kiki?" In both groups, 95% to 98% selected the curvy shape as "bouba" and the jagged one as "kiki", suggesting that the human brain somehow attaches abstract meanings to the shapes and sounds in a consistent way.
so there.
