A brand new research printed in June 2025 has quantified “cool.” The research, printed within the Journal of Experimental Psychology, remoted six particular traits exhibited by people who contribute to others’ notion of them as “cool.” Cool individuals are extroverted, hedonistic, highly effective, adventurous, open, and autonomous. 

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The research tracked responses from 5,943 individuals in 12 nations who have been requested to acknowledge notions of coolness as it’s outlined in prosperous Western nations. Researcher Caleb Warren discovered that no matter age, gender, location, or schooling and socioeconomic standing, individuals surveyed shared the identical conception of cool. Interestingly, the research means that an individual perceived as “cool,” differs from one seen to be “favorable” or “good.”

Because the which means of “cool” has crystallized internationally, Warren claims the analysis means that coolness serves a goal. People need to be cool as a result of it gives an alternate path to social standing.

People speaking concerning the research on the web interpreted the analysis in their very own methods. One particular person even claimed that in keeping with the research’s findings, cool individuals are narcissistic psychopaths. Others implied that the elusive nature of cool is at its core and have been considerably dismissive of the analysis. 

How is being cool completely different from being good?

Warren, a co-author of the research and professor on the University of Arizona, wrote about his findings in a publish from July 1 on X, “People perceived to be cool are extroverted, adventurous, open, autonomous, powerful, and hedonistic. These characteristics distinguish people seen as cool from people seen as not cool as well as from people seen as favorable or good.” 

In a press launch, Warren defined that though cool individuals appear just like good individuals, “Cool people often have other traits that aren’t necessarily considered ‘good’ in a moral sense, like being hedonistic and powerful.”

Why do individuals need to be cool?

Being good and being cool are thought of to be fascinating traits. Being good serves an apparent goal in hierarchies, society, and relationships—does being cool have a goal?

One of the research’s co-authors, Todd Pezzuti, mentioned, “Society needs cool people because they challenge norms, inspire change, and advance culture.”

Warren echoed his colleagues’ sentiment on X. He wrote, “…coolness offers an alternative route to status for those who innovate, create, and help spread positive cultural change.”

X customers react to the research 

@CyborgPeds edited the record down to at least one merchandise: “1. Not caring what attributes people think make you cool.”

“Actually, I could care less what people who are not cool think makes someone cool,” @raffel shared on X. “Cool is just being who you are when everyone is watching and when no one is.”

According to @Freyja92, the sum of the six traits is a narcissistic psychopath. The X person wrote, “Study finds that cool people are narcissistic psychopaths… ‘those considered ‘cool’ are perceived to be more extroverted, hedonistic, powerful, adventurous, open and autonomous.’”

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