Br J Psychol August 1961 PMID 13720232

The fitness of names to drawings. A cross-cultural study in Tanganyika.

R DAVIS

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Mentions

101

Peak: 15 in Nov 2021

across 3 sources since Aug 2020

Extended reach

4,977,685

potential audience

Total likes

136,434

Video views

4,910,232

Mentions per month

Aug 2020 – Jul 2025

Where it's discussed

X / Twitter92 posts
Bluesky7 posts
YouTube2 videos

AI synopsis

What people are saying

The overall tone is one of curiosity and respect, with many posts praising the scientific explanations and sharing personal insights, such as references to Tom Scott's videos and the universal nature of sound-shape associations, highlighting both interest and acknowledgment of the research's importance.

AgreementModerate agreement

Most discussants agree that the phenomena described, such as the Bouba/Kiki effect and sound symbolism, are insightful and relevant, often referencing scientific findings and reputable sources like Tom Scott.

InterestHigh interest

Posts show high curiosity and enthusiasm, with many mentioning the videos, experiments, and their own experiences, indicating strong interest.

EngagementModerate engagement

Discussions delve into explanations of the phenomena, referencing neuroscience, linguistics, and personal observations, reflecting moderate engagement.

ImpactModerate impact

The conversation influences understanding of language perception and supports the cultural and scientific relevance of the research, suggesting a moderate level of influence.

Abstract in brief

The study examines how well people's names match or correspond to their drawings or images across different cultures in Tanganyika.
It explores whether cultural backgrounds influence the way individuals represent themselves visually in relation to their names.
The research aims to understand the relationship between personal names and self-representation through drawings in diverse cultural settings.]

Read the full abstract

All mentions

Bouba and Kiki Shape-Sound Associations Across Cultures

The Bouba-Kiki effect shows how people associate shapes with sounds and tastes. This study compares Western and Himba cultures, revealing cultural and environmental influences on perception. The Himba's associations…

Tom Scott · Aug 24, 2020 4,907,183 views

Cultural Influence on Shape, Sound, and Taste Perception Across Cultures

The Bouba-Kiki effect is observed across cultures, including Namibia's Himba people, indicating influences beyond Western exposure. Notably, different associations with carbonation and taste highlight environmental and…

Neon Chronicles · Apr 29, 2024 3,050 views

biashiok

@bizerraaaa · X

@ymirup https://t.co/5UqeE1hpEl esse video explica melhor doq o limite de caracter do twitter me deixa escrever

Jul 2, 2025 · 1 like · 239 followers View post →

baikobitsart.bsky.social

@baikobitsart.bsky.social · Bluesky

For those unfamiliar with the origin of the shape. youtu.be/1TDIAObsqcs?...

Jun 27, 2025 · 6 likes · 1 share View post →

Josh

@LexDecs · X

@OrthodoxOrigen @kadmii1 https://t.co/JzwuB8h5Zl

May 21, 2025 · 2 likes · 840 followers View post →

Sisyphus

@ssisssyphuss · X

@alilouqs Not something I study at all. Just stumbled upon this while watching random stuff on YouTube. Most probably this has links to linguistics, neuroscience, or whatever cognitive sciences. For reference: https://t.co/tSWyiFjVwq

Mar 9, 2025 · 1 like · 1,057 followers View post →

pascalbellanca.bsky.social

@pascalbellanca.bsky.social · Bluesky

Feb 17, 2025 · 7 likes · 1 share View post →

magdalena ✮

@666nightflower · X

@jiwoong1e or how people perceive and match the sound of words to certain shapes, i think this vid explains it nicely too (and also how it isn't like a thing that happens 100% of the time but often enough with different languages that it's a noticeable phenomenon) https://t.co/lzI3nuWfhg

Dec 24, 2024 · 973 followers View post →

flaka flaka

@svntythsnd · X

@soggycinnamons always thought it was referencing this https://t.co/dqsZIyjRhu

Dec 23, 2024 · 1,445 followers View post →

Asperger's Case

@Ufuk80332582 · X

@MBurnsKaurin @AndyMasley sadly :'(, it has been a staple for quite some time, probably popularized by tom scott https://t.co/TbxzqEPcRA

Dec 20, 2024 · 4 followers View post →

Skye (she/they)

@skyepal42.bsky.social · Bluesky

youtu.be/1TDIAObsqcs?...

Dec 17, 2024 · 2 likes View post →

JimmyisAwkward

@jimmyisawkward.bsky.social · Bluesky

youtu.be/1TDIAObsqcs?...

Dec 16, 2024 · 10 likes · 1 share View post →

June

@junewi02 · X

https://t.co/PJP5aY5zkg

Dec 14, 2024 · 2 likes · 2,156 followers View post →

izzy

@PrepareToHi · X

@copperCity17 https://t.co/K9usNYYucX

Oct 28, 2024 · 258 followers View post →

⁴² Ministère de la sécurité cognitive du Québec

@deslomarc · X

@Jerome_bg Bah c'est un peu vrai. At large, le français sonne trop bouba et pas assez kiki par rapport à l'anglais. Le best, c'est de bâttir soie même sa langue. Cherry pick s'qui t'tempte, pis that's it... Tom Scott, va t'expliquer ça https://t.co/43Sx0tCRKt

Oct 21, 2024 · 254 followers View post →

Eni • Svenska •#langtwt

@malaochsvenska · X

In case you're not familiar https://t.co/CPlBFWL1jG https://t.co/gGwlOnKKZc

Aug 11, 2024 · 238 followers View post →

june (commissions open!)

@yetetispaghetti · X

@_bmont__ @kaasiand i anticipated and already had the link on my clipboard lmfao https://t.co/bmHBpbi03u

Aug 6, 2024 · 3 likes · 870 followers View post →

yudi is

@heyimyudi · X

@maybemoanasdad @_arnyff well chances are if I've given youve the image flipped even then you would've chosen left as kiki and right as bouba https://t.co/dUcgF5rWzW

Jul 13, 2024 · 1 like · 614 followers View post →

nwonflarw

@neoflare11 · X

@ArkadiaVT i already am familiar with it. humans tend to call the spikey one kiki and the roundish one the other name. I remember watching it on this vid https://t.co/bRTbxgSKmB

Jul 6, 2024 · 1 like · 30 followers View post →

Golden Redder

@Golden_Redder · X

@ArkadiaVT Bouba and Kiki Additionally, you can learn more about it by watching Tom Scott, which is listed below. https://t.co/N19TYy09f9

Jul 5, 2024 · 121 followers View post →

JoJo Ventures

@JojoVentures · X

#TIL The bouba/kiki effect links "bouba" with round shapes and "kiki" with spiky ones. Discovered in the 1920s, it's consistent across cultures, languages, infants, and even the blind—showcasing sound symbolism! https://t.co/4i1vZVN17P h/t @tomscott

Jun 17, 2024 · 343 followers View post →

willow ✨

@WillZMarler · X

@Goopypanther Perfect opportunity to bring this back that I made for @tomscott https://t.co/1H4P1TWRqQ

Jun 12, 2024 · 578 followers View post →

Sophie Bushwick

@sophiebushwick.bsky.social · Bluesky

Aha, this is a simple case of misspelling -- a bouba is a soft blob shape youtu.be/1TDIAObsqcs?...

Jun 2, 2024 · 1 like · 1 share View post →

Cathryn Brown ❄️

@cathrynjbrown · X

@clarebot @israverse This is where I first met it https://t.co/8vkRssH5M8

May 25, 2024 · 12 likes · 1,607 followers View post →

Kwisatz Fagerach

@ant0nio0991 · X

@_raissauchoa_ Basicamente isso aqui: https://t.co/q7QbJZJpUS

May 16, 2024 · 302 followers View post →

نوجابێس

@B4r3Z · X

@k45h4 زۆراب چونکە https://t.co/ABHGsk3Oka بەهۆی ئەمەوە هەست بە توندڕەوی ئەکەی، و توندڕەوی هەستێکی نەرێنییە، و نەرێنی = خراپ

Apr 18, 2024 · 3 likes · 1,124 followers View post →

Jake

@krafcisin · X

@Aella_Girl More info to all: https://t.co/2N0J1bGKMz

Mar 31, 2024 · 1 like · 452 followers View post →

Aura

@RaxSZ13 · X

@NahuelDaz19 es un poco dificil de explicar por tuiter, es un experimento de lingüística que se ha hecho viral, este un buen video al respecto: https://t.co/upSzav2geN

Mar 8, 2024 · 226 followers View post →

Anthony

@CatocatAnthony · X

@Isaac27277 @gothgirl_prelaw https://t.co/BIpu4sTa9G

Mar 1, 2024 · 1 like · 673 followers View post →

Mitch

@Mitch_KJ · X

@lauren_wilford Obligatory insert Tom Scott video https://t.co/DRAA0IJ363

Mar 1, 2024 · 220 followers View post →

vizthex

@ytvizthex · X

@lauren_wilford https://t.co/fPAEAE8Pqv

Mar 1, 2024 · 162 followers View post →

Dash

@dashingcrib · X

@BrianCS_ That’s because of this https://t.co/PQ1Lgv2gYI

Jan 23, 2024 · 149 followers View post →

eyetrauma riposte

@et_riposte · X

Original Video https://t.co/T6ALbAgzhl

Sep 24, 2023 · 1 like · 165 followers View post →

Foodbot

@Foodbot4 · X

@artbyform ngl i thought you were referencing this tom scott video https://t.co/d3lJ6fqYZ2

Sep 8, 2023 · 1 like · 562 followers View post →

Sasha Lantukh

@Sanik · X

https://t.co/otJxY8fx6G

Aug 19, 2023 · 283 followers View post →

eddie !!

@LUPINVERSE · X

@chmonke https://t.co/0AXKsbL5HW

Jul 12, 2023 · 1 like · 1,695 followers View post →

GarbageAtSkyblock

@GarbageAtTW · X

@P_ckneck @chmonke https://t.co/GvRG6KXsZc

Jul 11, 2023 · 1 like · 211 followers View post →

chrysta hall

@chrysta_hall · X

@realslenk @rybickic https://t.co/QZN2L0yh3P

May 23, 2023 · 1 like · 359 followers View post →

ᅠᅠ•

@peepeepoopoofuh · X

@mapletree871 @lexaprodiet Get familiar rn https://t.co/eGQLYZSg0c

May 15, 2023 · 86 followers View post →

Dunderfall

@dunderfall · X

@LeftAtLondon Tom Scott reference https://t.co/WZbFXOh9SZ

May 12, 2023 · 4 likes · 133 followers View post →

not puppycat

@_84436 · X

@chordbug obligatory Tom Scott video: https://t.co/5IP6hCukZp

May 6, 2023 · 73 followers View post →

Degяadation Doмain

@DegradationDom1 · X

Show me your Bouba https://t.co/VlPLjtGVZx

May 3, 2023 · 68 followers View post →

KOTTAN කොට්ටන්

@KOTTANOFFICIAL · X

@toGetBaked වචන ආරම්භ වෙන්නේ උදාහරණ විදිහට සද්ද විදිහට. https://t.co/WbxxklQOtD

Apr 28, 2023 · 3,887 followers View post →

AtreidesEmperor

@Atre1desEmperor · X

@endingwithali https://t.co/iQ6C1xcpM8

Apr 11, 2023 · 43 followers View post →

Rafael Cacilhas

@RafaelCacilhas · X

@Iaragsp_ @joanaetc_ Tem um moço chamado Tom Scott no youtube que posta umas coisas aleatórias e interessantes sobre linguagem. Acho que aprendi lá hahaha https://t.co/AJjvd4iUcF Tem outros onde ele fala como que a linguagem influencia a percepção de cor, no senso de direção... é fascinante hahaha

Apr 8, 2023 · 1 like · 67 followers View post →

Psoma_Brufd

@BrufdPsoma · X

@mippy @SC04XXX @OwenJones84 Tom Scott talks brilliantly about that, linguistics is descriptive, not prescriptive (see: https://t.co/fCZFIlBZOD) but specifically on gender neutral pronouns: https://t.co/Hg3gazQ26N

Mar 17, 2023 · 707 followers View post →

@3alawi_almutawa · X

@xs0in https://t.co/Pc3ofEBBFT

Mar 13, 2023 · 1 like · 207 followers View post →

Keith Sherman

@Shermanator_15 · X

@samdraiss I was mistaken, it was Tom Scott https://t.co/D9IESAlVmr

Feb 26, 2023 · 1 like · 458 followers View post →

Jake

@thejakenixon · X

@youtah Check out this video from @tomscott on the Kiki Bouba effect! https://t.co/bmCMNjlgHL

Feb 17, 2023 · 1 like · 1,869 followers View post →

Jude

@EggJude · X

@unhingedraccoon @magicianbrain https://t.co/ADCOAErUNu

Feb 11, 2023 · 9 likes · 828 followers View post →

Lamppa / マルコ

@Lamppanen · X

@SagawaKiki all "round" words sound more cute, while "sharp" words can sound grating. https://t.co/oDb8gWHRcI

Jan 19, 2023 · 161 followers View post →

funny computer go beep boop

@Rwarcards762 · X

@postconnoisseur @ultrasylveon @yummygoth https://t.co/ZwaxWP6cRZ

Jan 3, 2023 · 171 followers View post →

enmariscado

@tercotestarudo · X

@manzanadetierra ha habido muchos estudios al respecto!! yo tmb creo :) https://t.co/u9N8Zgkym5

Dec 10, 2022 · 2 likes · 135 followers View post →

Bo Vanston

@BoVanston · X

@SundaeDivine https://t.co/B5cR6rpjm6

Nov 25, 2022 · 706 followers View post →

willow ✨

@WillZMarler · X

@mixedlinguist @tomscott That was before I started animating for Tom, but is an excellent video nonetheless! The Bouba and Kiki one is probably the favourite I’ve made. I loved learning all the other examples from around the world! https://t.co/NtkOVJziA4

Sep 27, 2022 · 578 followers View post →

Chris Rouse

@Chrisrouse1415 · X

@absurdlymax @QualyThe https://t.co/VQa3yoZtPb

Aug 18, 2022 · 3 likes · 30 followers View post →

Jalaj

@jalajayagaya · X

@MegaApple18 https://t.co/zRCu6GSUDA Interesting. Somehow takes me to this linguistic experiment.

Jul 27, 2022 · 4 likes · 324 followers View post →

Ccb20211

@Ccb20211 · X

@miaowkyu Your plants remind me of this. https://t.co/OC8mAEBgjx

Jul 19, 2022 · 1 like · 1,577 followers View post →

LucasLKHG

@kentarosimpLKHG · X

@Sylvialogy For anyone who might be confused: https://t.co/K5PrhVKMsz

Jul 14, 2022 · 161 followers View post →

Tim Whitehead

@heisenberg912 · X

@andydiggle That there @tomscott did a cracking video on this a while back https://t.co/IaloKLbHJY

Jun 22, 2022 · 1 like · 71 followers View post →

shumo

@personallyShumo · X

In other words, https://t.co/1FvBnWCp3E

Jun 8, 2022 · 138 followers View post →

Kaz_Bloo

@KazooeyBlooey · X

@WithoutButter @silverfox5213 https://t.co/NIemX1QF4v I think this vid explains what u mean, but with another example

May 14, 2022 · 4 likes · 672 followers View post →

CriticalThinker

@HSapiens_vs_AGI · X

اگه برا شما هم این سوال پیش اومده که چرا بعضا بین واژه‌های توصیف کننده یه چیز/کانسپت تو زبان‌های مختلف یه شباهات‌هایی وجود داره، ویدیو زیر حداقل یه شهودهایی میده: https://t.co/00tQiJyGhp

Apr 18, 2022 · 1 like · 115 followers View post →

joris

@guedessssssss · X

@capricieuxx https://t.co/zfkwg9Cosf

Mar 8, 2022 · 221 followers View post →

Ossama 'skymen' Jouini

@skymen75 · X

3. Phonetically Even past word structure, the use of M and N is going to make the character sound softer, cuter and more appealing in general. This would be akin to the very famous experiment of "Bouba" vs "Kiki", more info on that: https://t.co/M3nACGU7BF

Mar 6, 2022 · 1 like · 1,309 followers View post →

Ned - Yellowisnice

@Yellowisnice_ · X

@iamsophielol I feel like tom had answer for you https://t.co/U0TfAHiWFq

Mar 2, 2022 · 428 followers View post →

DC Prox

@DrProximo · X

@alexpixelk It's not just that it's annoying, or that it makes some languages harder to learn, it also shapes our thoughts. For example, how you perceive something like a key can depend on your language's word for it: https://t.co/VR8AsitQqJ https://t.co/SlW2lWcZkk

Feb 19, 2022 · 2 likes · 314 followers View post →

Jonas Andrulis

@JonasAndrulis · X

Excellent @tomscott video here: https://t.co/m0Te7V7Wxu MAGMA paper: https://t.co/1rvmH6PlLC

Feb 11, 2022 · 2 likes · 4,258 followers View post →

.｡○°

@hasty_nessie · X

@squeaksquad https://t.co/DMEp4VWHgh ?

Jan 28, 2022 · 104 followers View post →

Snoozie

@SuzySnoozie · X

@NemuiDaysu Here this video explain it https://t.co/hpPoqaxhnH

Jan 27, 2022 · 1 like · 878 followers View post →

Dr Suzy J Styles

@suzyjstyles · X

@TimoRoettger @ozyurek_a @DingemanseMark @MarcusPerlman @ortega_ger @AlanKSNielsen @glupyan @superlinguo @lingthusiasm This video is a fun overview of bouba/kiki effects too https://t.co/DTsrrF1CAv

Jan 12, 2022 · 1 like · 2,120 followers View post →

ⁿⁱᵛᵃˡᵈᵒ

@Badivia · X

@nilo_montenegro https://t.co/fyCaGy2niE

Jan 3, 2022 · 1 like · 219 followers View post →

OldeGreybeard

@OldeGreybeard · X

I stream Baba Is You every Monday and Friday on my Twitch channel. Here is the original video if anyone is interested. Sadly, it is not actually about the game.

Dec 30, 2021 · 492 followers View post →

Kastro44_

@Kastro44_ · X

@FlejeGofio https://t.co/7anek3s01o

Dec 30, 2021 · 782 followers View post →

Sal Sokolińskie

@SalSokolisk1 · X

@Uthyr_Pendraeg Krótki film ba ten temat https://t.co/GSWRId6qAq

Dec 23, 2021 · 1 like · 453 followers View post →

llookinatdix

@llookinatdix · X

@OnePerpetual It might be something like this: https://t.co/iK3dLdfX1Z

Dec 20, 2021 · 11 followers View post →

mylo

@cryngcereal · X

@riza_triptan https://t.co/DNrAwKzm1c

Dec 12, 2021 · 36 followers View post →

sva(nana)i

@napadeslocado · X

@patkobelakiki @DoveBugo @SwedenEurovisnt It's sadly not related to that https://t.co/92bSaCabNk

Nov 23, 2021 · 2 likes · 6,434 followers View post →

Pidge

@Sulettacore64 · X

@smollzim Tom Scott did a short (4:25) vid about this a year or two ago! it's a p cool phenomenon about language! https://t.co/8mxO6pwWMg

Nov 20, 2021 · 1 like · 307 followers View post →

Fan22Club

@Fan22Club · X

@dink_doink https://t.co/GjvKpENMzP

Nov 18, 2021 · 793 followers View post →

Spooked Spooks

@espoooks · X

RT @EDGED__WINGS: HERE https://t.co/Kk5qh8147b

Nov 17, 2021 · 4 shares · 321 followers View post →

Lichzim

@Lichzim · X

RT @EDGED__WINGS: HERE https://t.co/Kk5qh8147b

Nov 17, 2021 · 4 shares · 1,152 followers View post →

Sasha

@beardedsun_png · X

RT @EDGED__WINGS: HERE https://t.co/Kk5qh8147b

Nov 17, 2021 · 4 shares · 48 followers View post →

MPKZ969

@shittycolourz · X

RT @EDGED__WINGS: HERE https://t.co/Kk5qh8147b

Nov 17, 2021 · 4 shares · 46 followers View post →

Rayan

@EDGED__WINGS · X

@PoodleShadow it’s interesting that people are actually asking this because that’s what the video is actually about https://t.co/Kk5qh8147b

Nov 16, 2021 · 1 like · 220 followers View post →

Alluminn

@Alluminn · X

@doilookpeng @charred_lizard @supertoastymutt it's an example of a phenomenon in Linguistics where we subconsciously assign traits to sounds https://t.co/Td5aeSrpVz

Nov 15, 2021 · 237 followers View post →

DraculVT

@DraculVT · X

This theory came up during Ai last night and I said it has to do with linguistics and how we associate shapes with sounds. Open up youtube and this was in my feed. https://t.co/a89rT6cBcN

Nov 12, 2021 · 538 followers View post →

muito grako

@SirGrako · X

Um vídeo de menos de 5 minutos falando sobre aspectos sinestésicos da linguagem. Simplesmente o fino viu

Nov 11, 2021 · 258 followers View post →

Timothy Fraser

@Timothy_Fraser1 · X

Neat glimpse into how our brains process language. Happy procrastinating! https://t.co/38hvyIHX0s

Nov 10, 2021 · 1 like · 336 followers View post →

Rocks☀️

@alex_rocks7 · X

@WikiOoc https://t.co/1xzJfis91g

Nov 8, 2021 · 284 followers View post →

not puppycat

@_84436 · X

@WikiOoc thx for reminding me to binge watch @tomscott context: https://t.co/5IP6hCLo1p

Nov 7, 2021 · 13 likes · 73 followers View post →

Acadia

@inthedaisies · X

@R3TR0_TRYX https://t.co/XYwIbdJqX7

Nov 6, 2021 · 1 like · 97 followers View post →

げってぃー

@Ghetty0163 · X

Which Is "Bouba", and Which Is "Kiki"? https://t.co/XwWUFZbhQN @YouTubeより

Oct 19, 2021 · 1 like · 617 followers View post →

Ed “I’m Actually Mexican” White

@SpyHI · X

@girlie_mac @mimzivvimzi And pahoehoe sounds smooth! It’s like the bouba-Kiki effect https://t.co/B0KXwRttEk

Oct 1, 2021 · 2,165 followers View post →

A. Hariharan

@_AHariharan · X

@lastpositivist https://t.co/YHCbek2psm

Sep 20, 2021 · 1 like · 579 followers View post →

Bam

@BAMBAH_101 · X

@gpowerf @francesweetman @ElsieKFisher https://t.co/QkiQi62JRz

Sep 8, 2021 · 1,240 followers View post →

Hassan

@monkey_flip_em · X

@francesweetman @ElsieKFisher https://t.co/sswPrq3YoQ

Sep 8, 2021 · 205 followers View post →

Sapphire Jack

@SapphJack · X

@DonutHolschtein I think it has something to do with this https://t.co/0tdBF6oZeY

Sep 5, 2021 · 1 like · 7,783 followers View post →

isglas

@chisto_akk · X

@ogglog76 https://t.co/s2VmZuq5Ke

Sep 4, 2021 · 1 like · 581 followers View post →

Dr. Giordon Stark

@giordonstark.com · Bluesky

I wonder if folx like @jmhenner know the answer to this, but I watched this @tomscott video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TDIAObsqcs) on crossmodal correspondence and I wonder if there's an #ASL or #SignLanguages equivalent?

Aug 25, 2020 View post →

Dr. Giordon Stark

@giordonstark.com · Bluesky

Aug 25, 2020 View post →

The fitness of names to drawings. A cross-cultural study in Tanganyika.

Mentions per month

Where it's discussed

What people are saying

Abstract in brief

Top posts

All mentions

Bouba and Kiki Shape-Sound Associations Across Cultures

Cultural Influence on Shape, Sound, and Taste Perception Across Cultures