Gaby
In English, the term “cool” typically refers to someone who is admired by many and often serves as a role model. This person is independent, creative, and exemplary in every way—simply put, they are impressive.
According to a new study from Adolfo Ibáñez University in Chile and the University of Arizona in the U.S., individuals labeled as “cool” share six surprisingly similar personality traits across different cultures.
What Did the Researchers Discover?
Over four years, a team of researchers conducted psychological experiments involving around 6,000 adult volunteers from the United States, Australia, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Germany, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Spain, South Africa, South Korea, and Turkey.
Each participant was asked to recall someone they considered cool, uncool, good, or bad, and then evaluate that person’s personality and values.
Analyzing the data collected, the researchers found that cool individuals are perceived differently from those deemed uncool or good. “Everyone wants to be cool or at least avoid the label of ‘uncool’; society needs cool people because they challenge norms, inspire change, and advance culture,” said study leader Todd Pezzuti. “The concept of cool originated in small, rebellious subcultures, particularly among African American jazz musicians in the 1940s and beatniks in the 1950s. As society moves faster and places greater value on creativity and change, cool people are becoming more important than ever,” he added.
While some character traits of cool and good people overlap, researchers note that in a moral sense, a cool person is not necessarily a good one.
So, what qualities set “cool kids” apart from the rest? The researchers found that despite cultural differences among participants, most identified cool individuals as extroverted (sociable), hedonistic, strong (influential), entrepreneurial, open to new experiences, and independent.
In contrast, good people were generally seen by volunteers from various countries as more conformist, traditional, reliable, warm-hearted, pleasant, universalist, conscientious, and calm.
The researchers emphasized that the development of the fashion industry, music culture, and cinema has influenced the perception of what it means to be “cool,” as reported by the Independent. “Coolness has undoubtedly evolved over time, but I don’t think it has lost its edge. It has simply become more functional,” Dr. Pezzuti stated.
The team believes that the findings from this study will help better understand the role of coolness in establishing social hierarchies, as well as in changing social and cultural practices and norms.
The results of the study were published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology.
