Dogs can associate certain sounds with rounded or pointed shapes, in a manner similar to what is observed in humans. The conclusion comes from an international study that identified in adult dogs the so-called Bouba-Kiki effect: the tendency to relate sounds such as “bouba” with curved shapes and sounds such as “kiki” with angular shapes. The phenomenon had previously been described in humans and in chicks.
In the experiment, the researchers presented 51 dogs with two distinct shapes, one rounded and one pointed, while playing recordings of the words “bouba” and “kiki.” The animals looked longer at the rounded shape when they heard “bouba” and at the pointed shape when they heard “kiki.”
In humans, this phenomenon translates to the tendency to associate soft and rounded sounds with curved shapes, while higher-pitched or abrupt sounds are linked to angular shapes. The word “bouba” tends, for example, to be associated with a rounded figure, whereas “kiki” suggests a pointed form.
The results indicate that this association between sounds and shapes may not depend exclusively on human language and point to possible links between different senses that are also present in dogs.
How dogs perceive human speech
The study, published in the scientific journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, raises new questions about how dogs interpret the sounds produced by humans and about the role that domestication and life experience may have played in the development of this capacity.
Researchers emphasize, however, that the results do not demonstrate that dogs understand the meaning of the words “bouba” and “kiki.” What the experiment reveals is an association between the sounds heard and the shapes observed, similar to what has been identified in other species.
The finding could contribute to deepening our understanding of dogs’ sensory perception and of how these animals process the auditory signals they live with daily.
