Newborn Chicks Connect Sounds With Shapes Just Like Humans, Study Finds

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by BeauHD

February 20, 2026

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A recent study reveals that newborn chicks exhibit a surprising ability to connect sounds with shapes, mirroring a phenomenon known as the "bouba-kiki effect," which has long been considered unique to humans. The research challenges previous theories about language origins by showing that this sound-shape association may be an innate trait shared across species, including chickens and humans. Published in *Science*, the findings suggest that this perceptual bias could date back much farther than previously believed, potentially reshaping our understanding of how language first developed. The study was conducted by Maria Loconsole and her team at the University of Padua. They tested baby chicks shortly after hatching, before they had any significant exposure to their environment. The chicks were exposed to two shapes—one rounded and one spiky—and played recordings of the words "bouba" and "kiki." When听到“bouba,” 80% of the chicks approached the round shape first, spending nearly three minutes exploring it on average. Conversely, hearing "kiki" led them to prefer the spiky shape. This experiment demonstrates that the sound-shape connection is not learned but likely innate, as the chicks showed consistent preferences despite their lack of environmental influence. The results suggest that this perceptual bias may have evolved millions of years ago, long before humans and birds diverged on the evolutionary tree. Aleksandra Cwiek, a linguist at Nicolaus Copernicus University, highlights the significance of these findings, noting that such associations could hint at deeper connections between sound, meaning, and evolution. The implications for tech and linguistics are

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Originally published on Slashdot on 2/20/2026