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A sweeping international study has shed new light on the age-old question: what makes someone “cool”? According to research led by marketing scholars Todd Pezzuti (Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez) and Caleb Warren (University of Arizona), the answer is less mysterious than it seems—and surprisingly consistent across cultures.
Between 2018 and 2022, the research team gathered online responses from nearly 6,000 adults across twelve countries, including the United States, India, Germany, South Africa, and others. Participants, all familiar with the slang meaning of “cool,” were asked to imagine and describe someone who embodied one of four labels: cool, uncool, good, or not good. They then rated these imagined individuals on a range of personality traits drawn from established psychological models.
The “Cool” Profile: Adventurous, Powerful, and Independent
The results revealed a striking global consensus. Across continents, people consistently identified cool individuals as being:
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Extraverted
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Hedonistic
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Powerful
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Adventurous
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Open
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Autonomous
In contrast, those described as “good” were seen as conforming, traditional, secure, warm, agreeable, and conscientious. While both cool and good people were rated as likable, coolness was distinguished by a more charismatic, boundary-pushing persona—energetic, novelty-seeking, and unapologetically self-directed.
This combination of traits, researchers argue, helps explain why cool people often become trendsetters or catalysts for social change. Their mix of likability and rebelliousness enables them to influence peers, challenge norms, and inspire new cultural movements.
A Cross-Cultural Constant in a Changing World
The study also traces the evolution of coolness, noting its origins in mid-20th-century countercultures—such as Black jazz clubs and Beatnik cafés—before being co-opted and broadcast globally by fashion, music, and film industries. Despite commercialization, the essence of coolness remains: a blend of admiration and transgression that continues to shape cultural norms.
Researchers caution, however, that their findings are based on urban, technologically connected populations and cultures familiar with the English slang term. Rural or offline communities, and those with different linguistic backgrounds, may have alternative views on what constitutes “cool”.
Why Coolness Matters
The authors suggest that coolness plays a functional role in society by establishing informal hierarchies and modeling alternative ways to live. As Pezzuti notes, “everyone wants to be cool, or at least avoid the stigma of being uncool, and society needs cool people because they challenge norms, inspire change, and advance culture”.
Disclaimer:
The findings reported are based on self-reported perceptions from urban, internet-connected participants across twelve countries and may not reflect the views of rural or offline populations. The study focused on cultures familiar with the English slang term “cool,” which may limit the generalizability of its conclusions. Further research is needed to explore how these traits manifest in other societies and languages.
