What makes someone “cool”? A new global study suggests that despite cultural differences, people across the world tend to agree on what that looks like.

Researchers have identified six personality traits commonly associated with “coolness” across cultures — a finding that hints at the role of global media in shaping a shared understanding of the term, reports The Independent.

The study, published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology, suggests that perceptions of coolness are not just local quirks but may reflect a global consensus.

The research, conducted between 2018 and 2022, involved nearly 6,000 adult participants from 13 countries, including the US, Australia, China, Germany, India, Mexico, Nigeria, and South Korea. Participants were asked to recall someone they considered “cool,” “not cool,” “good,” or “not good,” and then rate that person’s personality and values.

Using this data, the researchers found that people seen as cool were consistently described as extroverted, hedonistic, powerful, adventurous, open, and autonomous. In contrast, people considered morally “good” were associated with traits like warmth, conformity, security, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and calmness.

“Everyone wants to be cool — or at least avoid being uncool,” said co-lead researcher Todd Pezzuti. “Society needs cool people because they challenge norms, inspire change, and advance culture.”

The idea of coolness, he added, can be traced to rebellious subcultures, from Black jazz musicians in the 1940s to the beatniks of the ’50s. While the meaning has evolved, he believes it hasn’t lost its edge — just become more adaptive.

The researchers suggest that the global rise of film, fashion, and music has helped “crystallise” the idea of cool around a set of traits that are now commercially viable and widely accepted. And while coolness may not necessarily equate to moral goodness, it does carry social influence.

“Coolness is a meaningful construct,” the study concludes. “Its universal trait profile helps explain how people understand and navigate their social world.”

From Santiago to Seoul, cool people are those most likely to question convention, take risks, and inspire change — regardless of where they’re from.