The Bouba-Kiki Effect

By: Sachi Simpson

Grade 9

Problem

The problem addressed in this project is testing to see how far the language barrier goes Romance and Germanic languages, and whether it effects the way one pairs sounds with images.

This project was chosen to learn more about language and to explore whether different languages have more in common than what is thought.

Research

English is a Germanic language Derived from the Frisian language

French is a Romance Language Derived from Latin

Wolfgang Kohler German-American psychologist First to observe the Bouba-Kiki effect Used “takete” and “baluba”

Bouba-Kiki effect is seen when most people name the round shape “bouba” and most name the jagged shape “kiki”

95% of people will answer correctly In autistic children however, only 60% will answer correctly This has been observed in children as young as 3 years old who are not yet able to read.

Hypothesis

If a group of French-speaking people and a group of English-speaking people are asked to name two different shapes either Bouba or Kiki and Beebee or Kouka then most will answer “correctly”, despite different first languages.

Kiki / Kouka Bouba / Beebee

Procedure

Asked a group of French-speaking people to name the two shapes either Bouba or Kiki and then the same two shapes either Beebee or Kouka.

Repeated step one except with a group of English-speaking people.

Variables

Independent Variable: Either French or English.

Dependent Variable: How they answer. Controlled Variable: The two shapes -

Bouba-Kiki; Beebee-Kouka. Control group- group of English-speaking

people

N 22Kiki Correct Kiki Incorrect. Bouba Correct Bouba Incorrect

Trial One 45% 5% 45% 5%Trial Two 41% 9% 41% 9%

Average 43% 7% 43% 7%Std Dev 0.7071 0.7071 0.7071 0.7071

Kiki Correct Kiki Incorrect Bouba Correct Bouba IncorrectTrial One 10 1 10 1Trial Two 9 2 9 2

Percentages are language to total.

Trial one-English

Trial two-French

N 22Beebee Correct Beebee Incorrect Kouka Correct Kouka Incorrect

Trial One 27% 23% 27% 23%Trial Two 27% 23% 27% 23%

Average 27% 23% 27% 23%Std Dev 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000

Beebee Correct Beebee Incorrect Kouka Correct Kouka IncorrectTrial One 6 5 6 5Trial Two 6 5 6 5

Percentages are Language to total.

Trial one- English

Trial two- French

Conclusion

Most picked Kiki for the hard-sided shape and bouba for the soft-sided shape Hard “k” sound Softer “b” sound Hypothesis was supported.

Beebee and Kouka was split almost down the middle. More picked Kouka for hard-sided shape and Beebee for

soft-sided shape. Hypothesis was supported. “ee” sound- hard shape “ou” sound- soft shape

Improvements

• More language groups• More subjects/trials

Thanks

http://www.answers.com/topic/english-language http://www.orbilat.com/Languages/French/

French.html http://io9.com/5691770/the-bouba+kiki-effectd http://indoeuro.bizland.com/tree/germ/english.html

Thank you Any questions?