What makes someone ‘cool’? Study finds six traits that transcend age, gender, and culture
Click here for more articles by Kormedi.com If you've ever wondered what it takes to be considered “cool,” science now has an answer — and it seems to apply across the world. A global study published under the title “Cool People” in the Journal of Experimental Psychology identified six personality traits that define a “cool” person, regardless of nationality, age, or gender. Researchers surveyed 5,943 participants in 12 countries, including Korea, the United States, China, Germany, Mexico, Nigeria, and more. Participants were asked to reflect on what makes a person “cool” and what makes someone “good,” and then rated both types of individuals using personality and value-based assessment tools. Only people who already understood the meaning of the term “cool” were included in the analysis. The study found that people widely associate coolness with the following six traits: extroversion, hedonism, power, adventurousness, openness and autonomy. These traits appeared consistently, regardless of the participants’ country, age, gender, or education level, suggesting
Jul 12, 2025By Kormedi.com
