Not long ago I read an article about German-American psychologist Wolfgang Köhler, who conducted a study in 1929 where they asked different populations (Tamil speakers in India, Tenerifeans, young children, infants, and American university students) to decide which shape fit “takete” and which fit “baluba”. In all the cases, it was agreed that the shape with the rounded ends should be named “baluba”, and the shape with the sharp ends, “takete”. I think It’s interesting to think, how natural our collective (in)consciousness actually is, and how design and ergonomy are fully rooted in these human brain tendencies. I guess we’re really humans after all.
