Scientists reveal the six attributes that people think make others ‘cool’

The science of cool

A universal concept

The six character traits of a cool person

The study surveyed nearly 6,000 people from 12 countries and found that six core attributes form a universal ideal of what makes a person cool. A person who is considered cool across cultures is seen as extroverted and hedonistic, powerful and adventurous, and open and autonomous.

Rating personality traits and moral values

The participants were asked to think of four people in their lives: a “cool,” “uncool,” “good,” and  “not good” person, and rate their personality traits and moral values based on two scientific models, CNN reported.

A good person is not the same as a cool person

The participants consistently associated being calm, conscientious, universalistic, agreeable, warm, secure, traditional, and conforming with being a good person, and being capable was considered to be both “cool” and “good” but not distinctly either.

Participants agreed no matter their age, gender, or culture

But the formula for being “cool” was having the six character traits (extroverted, hedonistic, powerful, adventurous, open, and autonomous) for most participants, regardless of age, gender or education level, as was reported by CNN.

Nationalities that participated in the study

Moreover, the countries chosen for the study represent significantly different cultures: Australia, Chile, China, Germany, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Spain, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, and the United States.

“A broader range of cultural perspectives”

Todd Pezzuti, an associate professor of Marketing at Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez in Chile, who co-led the study, told Spanish news outlet ‘El País’ they had “deliberately included countries like Turkey, Nigeria, and South Korea to capture a broader range of cultural perspectives.”

Traits can be expressed differently

However, Pezzuti noted that what may vary from culture to culture is how the traits are expressed. “In one place, a person might seem cool by backpacking across Europe; in another, someone might show the same adventurous spirit by launching a startup,” Pezzuti explained.

Social influence can shape collective thinking

Pezzuti’s main research interest is how social influence can shape collective thinking. That’s why he was drawn to uncovering what people around the world understand as cool.

Not a mere marketing product

He argues that the concept of “cool” is not a mere marketing product shaped by Hollywood movies and capitalism. The way he sees it, cool people serve a specific function within groups and societies.

Cool people spark progress

“Cool people push boundaries and help spark cultural change,” the marketing expert told ‘El País’. This is explained better when we look at the origin of the term as we use it today.

The origin of cool

Pezzuti, among other experts, argues that the origin of “cool” goes back to the 1940’s jazz era in the United States, when racial segregation was challenged by the cool, Black, jazz musicians of the time.

Challenging social norms

The marketing expert references a time saxophonist Lester Young refused to smile on stage and didn’t take off his sunglasses while performing, a simple gesture that was a form of silent resistance in the face of racism and exclusion, Pezzuti explaind.

“Discreet, defiant and dignified”

“Musicians like Young, Miles Davis, and Thelonious Monk were marked by a detached confidence, independence, and artistic integrity. Being cool wasn’t loud or flashy. It was discreet, defiant, and dignified,” Pezzuti told ‘El País.’

Cool became a homogenized concept

Over time, the idea of cool became expanded and commercialized, experts say. With Pop culture, globalization, hyper connectivity, and social media, the concept of “cool” has been homogenized and is now more recognizable to people all over the world.