What makes someone cool?<\/em> And is that the same thing as being ‘good’?<\/p>\nResearchers from the US, Chile, and China gathered responses from over 4,000 people across 14 countries. Participants were asked to think of non-famous people they liked and considered either cool, not cool, good, or not good. They then had to rate those people on a set of 14 personality traits\/values. These ranged from \u201cadventurous\u201d and \u201cautonomous\u201d to \u201ccalm\u201d and \u201cconforming.\u201d<\/p>\n
Across the board, people described cool<\/em> <\/strong>individuals as being:<\/p>\n\n- Extraverted<\/strong> \u2013 Energetic, talkative, and socially outgoing, they thrive in groups and enjoy engaging with others.<\/li>\n
- Adventurous<\/strong> \u2013 Willing to take risks and seek out new experiences, they embrace the unknown with enthusiasm.<\/li>\n
- Open<\/strong> \u2013 Curious and imaginative, they welcome new ideas, cultures, and perspectives without judgment.<\/li>\n
- Hedonistic<\/strong> \u2013 Motivated by pleasure and enjoyment, they prioritise fun, indulgence, and living in the moment.<\/li>\n
- Powerful<\/strong> \u2013 Influential and assertive, they naturally take charge and often shape the direction of group dynamics.<\/li>\n
- Autonomous<\/strong> \u2013 Independent in thought and action, they follow their own values rather than external expectations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
[Editor’s note: Well, that is a bit disappointing. I’m not sure I fit into any of these!!!]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\n- <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Meanwhile, good<\/em> <\/strong>people were more likely to be:<\/p>\n\n- Calm<\/strong> \u2013 Stays composed and even-tempered, especially in stressful or emotionally charged situations.<\/li>\n
- Conscientious<\/strong> \u2013 Responsible and diligent, they plan ahead, meet obligations, and pay attention to detail.<\/li>\n
- Warm<\/strong> \u2013 Expresses kindness and care, making others feel valued, safe, and emotionally supported.<\/li>\n
- Agreeable<\/strong> \u2013 Cooperative and considerate, they prioritise harmony and are willing to compromise.<\/li>\n
- Secure<\/strong> \u2013 Confident and emotionally stable, they maintain a steady sense of self regardless of challenges.<\/li>\n
- Conforming<\/strong> \u2013 Respects rules, customs, and social expectations, blending in rather than standing out.<\/li>\n
- Traditional<\/strong> \u2013 Values long-standing beliefs and practices, often maintaining cultural or familial continuity.<\/li>\n
- Universalistic<\/strong> \u2013 Guided by fairness and concern for all people, they advocate for equality, justice, and broad human welfare.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
[Editor’s note #2: Hmm…On a good day perhaps this sounds a bit more like me]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\n- <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
One fascinating detail? These patterns were remarkably stable across countries and cultures. From Australia to India to Chile to China, people tended to have surprisingly consistent ideas about what counts as cool versus what counts as good and that there is a distinction between them.<\/p>\n
<\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n
So, What Do We Do With This?<\/h3>\n
I came across the study because, not surprisingly, it is doing the rounds on the news and media.<\/p>\n
Most of the media attention around the study has (predictably) focused on the cool part. Who wouldn\u2019t want a peek behind the curtain of what makes someone cool, or some kind of explanation for why that person you know with X-factor is so entrancing?<\/p>\n
So I sat down to read the paper and take some notes, and pretty soon found myself at a loss. It isn’t that the findings aren’t interesting. They are. Learning what it is we see in people who are ‘cool’ verified a few beliefs I hold. Seeing how they measured cool was interesting (asking participants to rate the characteristics of those they had labelled as cool). And I did like that what makes someone cool shows some consistency across cultures. But…….<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not exactly a self-help guide.<\/strong> As the authors note later, trying to be<\/em> cool<\/em> is probably self-defeating (coolness and effort famously don\u2019t mix). The harder someone tries to be cool, the less cool they get.<\/p>\nOn top of that, some of the attributes probably have a strong genetic loading (e.g. extraversion) and are therefore not easy to budge.\u00a0And some of the other traits (hedonism, power, autonomy)? They’re pretty complex and don’t lend themselves easily to a training program. How do you teach someone to be hedonistic in a way that others admire and don’t think is selfish and indulgent?<\/p>\n
So the paper can help you understand why<\/strong> you find certain people cool, but doesn’t really provide a framework for becoming cool (although hedonism sounds fun!)<\/p>\nBut in the discussion section of the paper, there was something that captured my attention. It was a discussion about status<\/strong>.<\/p>\nThe authors (if I am reading it correctly) hypothesise that coolness may function as an alternative status pathway, <\/em>one where people are rewarded more for creativity, novelty, and nonconformity, than they might be traditional metrics of status (e.g. attractiveness, wealth, fame, lineage).<\/p>\nConsistent with this idea, historically, being \u201ccool\u201d was linked with counterculture movements and subcultures that pushed against mainstream norms. And even in today’s globalised, information-driven world, that still seems to be the case. People admire and elevate those that craft and follow their own path.<\/p>\n
That got me thinking that ‘goodness’ which was also profiled in the study, might itself be an alternative pathway to status. The good person – the one who is warm, conscientious, and dependable – also receives esteem, trust, and admiration. Just of a different kind.<\/p>\n
<\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n
\ud83e\udde9 Rethinking Status: More Than One Way to Matter<\/h3>\n
I guess for me, this is the most interesting takeaway:<\/p>\n
\nThere are alternative formulas for elevating one’s status<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nWe often think of status as being about wealth, titles, or influence. But this study highlights two other, widely shared pathways to being held in high regard:<\/p>\n
<\/h4>\n
<\/p>\n
The ‘Cool’ Path<\/strong><\/h4>\nTraits that tend to attract admiration for being different, bold, and expressive:<\/p>\n
\n- \n
Autonomous<\/strong> \u2013 follows their own path, even when it\u2019s unpopular. They might quit a safe job to pursue an unconventional career or stand up for personal values despite pressure to conform.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n- \n
Adventurous<\/strong> \u2013 seeks out novelty and experience. Think spontaneous road trips, bold travel, or saying yes to things most people hesitate over.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n- \n
Open<\/strong> \u2013 receptive to new ideas, people, and experiences. Reads broadly, talks to strangers, doesn\u2019t dismiss things just because they\u2019re unfamiliar.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n- \n
Hedonistic<\/strong> \u2013 embraces pleasure and fun. Might be the person planning wild parties, indulging in great food, or just living fully in the moment.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n- \n
Extraverted<\/strong> \u2013 energetic and sociable. They\u2019re the ones who strike up conversations, tell stories at dinner, or energise the group.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n- \n
Powerful<\/strong> \u2013 carries influence or impact. Not just official power, but the kind of presence that makes others take notice or follow their lead.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nThese are traits often celebrated in subcultures and creative communities\u2014the rebel, the innovator, the nonconformist with a spark.<\/p>\n
<\/h4>\n
<\/p>\n
The ‘Good’ Path<\/strong><\/h4>\nTraits that earn trust, respect, and social cohesion:<\/p>\n
\n- \n
Calm<\/strong> \u2013 emotionally steady. Doesn\u2019t panic, overreact, or escalate tension\u2014people feel safe around them.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n- \n
Conscientious<\/strong> \u2013 reliable, organised, and diligent. Shows up on time, follows through on commitments, and pays attention to detail.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n- \n
Warm<\/strong> \u2013 kind and emotionally generous. Thinks about others\u2019 needs, gives encouragement, checks in without needing a reason.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n- \n
Agreeable<\/strong> \u2013 cooperative and considerate. They find common ground, de-escalate conflicts, and aim to get along with others.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n- \n
Secure<\/strong> \u2013 grounded and stable. Projects inner peace and makes decisions from a place of clarity and steadiness.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n- \n
Conforming<\/strong> \u2013 respects norms and traditions. Follows rules, dresses appropriately for the context, and values continuity and predictability.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n- \n
Traditional<\/strong> \u2013 holds to familiar beliefs or customs. Might participate in religious rituals, family routines, or cultural practices with reverence.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n- \n
Universalistic<\/strong> \u2013 cares deeply about fairness and justice for all, not just their in-group. Speaks up for equity, donates to humanitarian causes, or champions environmental issues.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nThese are the people we trust to look after us, keep things running, and uphold shared values.<\/p>\n
\n
Each of these sets of traits offers a different kind of social reward. And crucially, neither depends on being rich, famous, or professionally successful (phew, that’s a relief). They show that admiration from others can grow from how you live<\/em>, not just what you have.<\/p>\nSo I started this journey wanting to know how to be cool and finished it a little relieved that humans might have means other than wealth and fame to elevate each other.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/student-health-and-well-being\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/71\/2025\/07\/spuds-are-cool.png\")
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