Turns out cool people around the world have a lot in common, but it all may not be as great as it seems. The New York Times reports that a new study found that, regardless of age, gender, income, or location, nearly 6,000 participants from 12 countries generally agree about what makes a person "cool," and there are six key traits behind it: being extroverted, hedonistic, powerful, adventurous, open, and autonomous. "What blew my mind was the fact that it was pretty much the same result everywhere," says Caleb Warren, co-author of the study and a psychology professor.
Participants were asked to reflect on specific individuals: one they believed was cool, one who was not cool, one who was good, and one who was not good. They then rated each person using surveys that measured 15 personality traits. While there was some overlap—both cool and good people were often seen as capable—the differences were striking. Good people are far more likely to be seen as warm, conscientious, calm, traditional, secure, and universalistic, meaning they show care and concern for others equally. Cool people, on the other hand, come off as more independent and risk-taking.
And coolness doesn't carry the exact same weight everywhere—and it definitely may not be something worth chasing. While the study filtered out anyone unfamiliar with the English word "cool," other research suggests that cultural values shift how traits are ranked. "Factors like aggression make us have higher status in some Western cultures and simultaneously give us less status in the East," said Mitch Prinstein, chief of psychology at the American Psychological Association. And coolness, especially a pattern of taking risks, has been linked to problems with alcohol, drugs, and relationships later in life. "They are doing more extreme things to try to act cool," said one researcher. So is coolness a trait that's worth pursuing? To that end, Warren provided his scientific opinion: "I have serious doubts."
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