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Global Study Confirms Six Universal Traits That Define ‘Cool’

Rapid trait-based impressions drive perceptions of coolness rather than moral goodness, prompting calls to study the concept in cultures less familiar with its modern usage

Rachel McAdams as Regina George, Leonarda DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby and Kerry Washington as Olivia Pope.
Beyoncé performs during the Super Bowl XLVII halftime show in 2023.

Overview

  • The study surveyed nearly 6,000 adults across 13 countries and confirmed extroversion, hedonism, power, adventurousness, openness and autonomy as the universal markers of cool.
  • Comparative analysis found that traits of coolness diverge from moral ‘goodness’ profiles, which emphasize agreeableness, tradition, security and conscientiousness.
  • Researchers demonstrated that perceptions of cool are formed almost instantaneously through observable traits rather than moral judgments.
  • The research excluded participants unfamiliar with the concept of cool, underscoring a limitation in its cross-cultural scope.
  • Experts have called for follow-up studies to explore ‘good’ versus ‘bad’ coolness and to assess how perceptions emerge in cultures outside mainstream media influence.