Science & Tech · Science & Environment · 3 hrs ago
Study finds dogs link “bouba” with round shapes and “kiki” with spiky ones
Researchers in Italy tested 70 pet dogs to see whether they link made-up sounds with shapes, as people often do.
In the experiments, dogs heard “bouba” or “kiki” while seeing a rounded shape and a spiky one.
Dogs looked more at round shapes for “bouba” and at spiky shapes for “kiki”; in one experiment, 56 per cent lingered on the round shape for “bouba” and 63 per cent focused on the spiky one for “kiki.”
The pattern remained when owners wore headphones, reducing the chance that owner cues explained the result.
The finding suggests sound-shape links may use general brain processes, rather than relying only on language, but it does not explain how the links arise.
Researchers plan to test puppies and wild canids, including foxes, and want to find out whether cats show the same pattern.
A study found that dogs tended to look at rounded shapes when they heard “bouba” and spiky shapes when they heard “kiki.”
The research team, led by Eleonora Biffi of the University of Parma, tested 70 domestic dogs in two experiments.
The pattern was also observed when owners wore headphones to prevent them from hearing the words.
The findings suggest that sound-shape associations may rely on brain mechanisms shared across species, though the reasons for the dogs’ responses remain uncertain.
Researchers plan to study puppies, wild canids and cats to explore whether the association depends on dogs’ experience with humans.
- Who
- A team led by Eleonora Biffi at the University of Parma tested 70 domestic dogs.
- What
- The study examined whether dogs associate “bouba” with rounded shapes and “kiki” with spiky shapes.
- When
- The study was published on 13 October 2026.
- Where
- The experiments took place in a room set up with screens and speakers; the location is not stated.
- Why
- The researchers aimed to test whether dogs share a tendency to link speech sounds with shapes.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Studies have reported that people tend to associate “bouba” with curved shapes and “kiki” with spiky shapes.
The researchers tested 51 dogs with their owners present.
The researchers tested 19 other dogs while their owners wore headphones playing music.
The study was reported by New Scientist and ScienceAlert.
- Total dogs
- 70 domestic dogs
- First experiment
- 51 dogs
- Second experiment
- 19 dogs
- Bouba” response
- 56 per cent lingered on the round shape in the first experiment
- Kiki” response
- 63 per cent concentrated their gaze on the spiky shape in the first experiment
- Study outlet
- Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
2 sources
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What people are saying
If animals without human-like language also spontaneously associate sounds with shapes, this suggests that at least some of the mechanisms underlying sound symbolism may not be specific to language
An exciting next question is to what extent [these links] in dogs arise through statistical learning or more hardwired expectations