What does it really mean to be “cool”? Is it confidence, rebellion, charm—or something more universal? According to a new international psychology study, the idea of coolness may be far more consistent across cultures than previously believed. Researchers have now identified six core personality traits that define a “cool” person worldwide, cutting across geography, language, and social norms.
The findings, published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology, suggest that whether you are in San Francisco or Seoul, Sydney or Santiago, people tend to agree on what makes someone cool.
A global study of coolness
The study draws on psychology experiments conducted between 2018 and 2022, involving nearly 6,000 adult participants from 13 diverse regions, including the United States, India, China, Germany, Mexico, South Africa, Nigeria, South Korea, Australia, and Turkey. Participants were asked to think of people they considered “cool,” “not cool,” “good,” or “not good,” and then rate those individuals on a wide range of personality traits and values.
By comparing these responses, researchers were able to identify clear patterns distinguishing “cool” people from those perceived as merely “good” or morally upright.
Despite cultural, political, and social differences among participants, the results were strikingly consistent.
The six traits that define a ‘cool’ person
Across all countries studied, people perceived as cool were consistently rated as:
- Extroverted – socially confident, expressive, and outgoing
- Hedonistic – pleasure-seeking and enjoyment-oriented
- Powerful – influential, confident, and commanding presence
- Adventurous – willing to take risks and explore new experiences
- Open – curious, creative, and receptive to new ideas
- Autonomous – independent and resistant to social pressure
“These traits show up again and again, regardless of culture,” said study co-lead author Todd Pezzuti. “It suggests that coolness has become a globally shared social concept.”
Cool vs good: not the same thing
Interestingly, the study found that coolness and goodness are not the same—and are sometimes at odds.
Participants tended to describe “good” people as more conforming, traditional, warm, agreeable, conscientious, calm, and security-oriented. While there was some overlap between cool and good traits, being cool was not necessarily associated with moral virtue.
In other words, a person can be cool without being “good” in the ethical sense—and vice versa.
“Everyone wants to be cool, or at least avoid being uncool,” Pezzuti explained. “But society doesn’t rely on cool people because they’re morally better. It relies on them because they challenge norms, inspire change, and push culture forward.”
From rebellion to global mainstream
Historically, coolness emerged from countercultural movements. Researchers trace its modern roots to Black jazz musicians in the 1940s and the beatnik subculture of the 1950s—groups that rejected mainstream values and expressed identity through style, music, and attitude.
Over time, however, coolness migrated from the margins to the mainstream.
According to the study, the rise of global fashion, film, music, and digital media has helped standardize what “cool” looks like across societies. Today’s coolness, the researchers argue, has become more “commercially friendly” while still retaining its core edge.
“Coolness has evolved, but it hasn’t disappeared,” Pezzuti said. “It’s become more functional in a fast-moving world that rewards creativity, independence, and innovation.”
Why coolness matters socially
Beyond pop culture, the researchers believe coolness plays a deeper role in shaping social hierarchies, influence, and cultural change. Because cool people are often admired and imitated, they can accelerate shifts in attitudes, behaviors, and norms.
“The fact that cool people are seen similarly around the world makes coolness a meaningful psychological construct,” the authors noted. “It helps explain how people understand, organize, and structure their social world.”
In an era defined by rapid technological, cultural, and social transformation, those who embody cool traits—openness, autonomy, and adventurousness—may be uniquely positioned to lead change.
A universal language of cool
The study’s most striking conclusion is that coolness has become globalized. From Mumbai to Mexico City, people now share a remarkably similar mental model of what it means to be cool.
“If coolness emerged as a status granted to people who inspire cultural change,” the researchers wrote, “then it makes sense that cool people around the world would share traits that help them question convention, innovate, and persuade others.”
In a connected world shaped by global media and shared cultural symbols, coolness may be one of the few social languages everyone understands.
