Cultures around the world define being ‘cool’ in the same way, study finds

Across the world, the idea of being “cool” may sound like a fleeting label, but a large global study shows that it’s something deeper—and surprisingly consistent. From Australia to Nigeria, people tend to agree on who counts as cool, and what traits set these people apart from others.

Over four years, nearly 6,000 people across 13 countries gave their thoughts on what it means to be cool and whether that overlaps with simply being a good person. The answers revealed a shared understanding of coolness that cuts across cultures, suggesting it may be more universal than previously believed.

The study, published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General and backed by the American Psychological Association, included participants from countries with very different cultural values. These ranged from collectivist societies like South Korea and China to individualist nations like the United States and Germany.

Despite these differences, people around the globe consistently described cool individuals using similar words: extraverted, powerful, hedonistic, open-minded, adventurous, and self-reliant.

"Everyone wants to be cool, or at least avoid the stigma of being uncool," said Todd Pezzuti, PhD, co-lead researcher and associate professor of marketing at Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez in Chile. "Society needs cool people because they challenge norms, inspire change, and advance culture."

Pezzuti and his team conducted the experiments between 2018 and 2022. Participants were asked to think of someone they believed was cool or not cool, good or not good. They then rated that person’s character traits and personal values. Responses came from people in the United States, South Africa, Turkey, India, Spain, Chile, Nigeria, South Korea, Mexico, Germany, and two parts of China: the mainland and Hong Kong.

The results showed a pattern that held true in every country. The cool person wasn’t necessarily the one who always followed the rules or put others first. Instead, cool people were often bold and independent. They stood out, but they also seemed to represent something aspirational.

Coolness and goodness might seem like close cousins, but they’re not the same. While the two sometimes overlap, they point to different kinds of social value. Caleb Warren, PhD, co-lead researcher and associate professor of marketing at the University of Arizona, explained that while cool people are often liked, their appeal comes from traits that don’t always align with traditional morality.

"To be seen as cool, someone usually needs to be somewhat likable or admirable, which makes them similar to good people," said Warren. "However, cool people often have other traits that aren’t necessarily considered 'good' in a moral sense, like being hedonistic and powerful."

In contrast, good people were more often described as kind, calm, dependable, and agreeable. They were also said to value tradition and social harmony. These traits are rooted in what many cultures define as moral behavior. So while both cool and good people can earn admiration, they do so for different reasons. Coolness is more often about bold individuality. Goodness leans more toward community and trust.

The meaning of cool has changed over the years, but the idea still carries weight. The concept first gained popularity in small, rebellious communities. In the 1940s, Black jazz musicians brought a stylish confidence to their art that stood apart from mainstream culture. The beatniks of the 1950s added a poetic and anti-establishment edge. These early expressions of coolness often challenged social norms and offered alternatives to tradition.

Today, those same qualities—creativity, rebellion, and independence—remain core to what people see as cool. But as pop culture and global marketing have spread, coolness has entered the mainstream.

“The concept of coolness started in small, rebellious sub-cultures,” said Pezzuti. “As society moves faster and puts more value on creativity and change, cool people are more essential than ever.”

From Apple ads to Marvel superheroes, today’s global icons of coolness often reflect a polished, commercial image. That doesn’t mean cool has lost its edge, said Pezzuti. It may just serve a wider role in shaping trends and values.

“Coolness has definitely evolved over time, but I don’t think it has lost its edge. It’s just become more functional,” he added. This idea—coolness as a cultural tool—fits with the researchers’ larger theory. They argue that coolness helps reshape social hierarchies by rewarding traits that drive innovation and cultural shifts.

One of the most striking parts of the study is how stable the cool-good divide was across all countries. Regardless of where people live, they seemed to agree on what makes someone cool or good.

Cool people were often described as spontaneous, curious, and willing to take risks. They weren’t afraid to break from tradition. Good people, by contrast, were seen as more rule-following, thoughtful, and emotionally warm. This shared pattern raises interesting questions. Why do so many cultures agree on what cool looks like? And does the spread of Western pop culture affect this global consensus?

The researchers noted that today’s cool traits are more "commercially friendly" than in the past. Being adventurous and confident now sells everything from sneakers to smartphones. These values have become part of the global language of trendsetting. Still, the fact that these views showed up in such diverse places suggests that the cool persona taps into something deeper.

It’s possible that the core of coolness—independence, strength, and self-expression—reflects universal human needs. As societies modernize and social roles change, people may increasingly value those who push boundaries and offer new paths forward.

Not every person who took part in the study may represent their whole country. Most participants lived in areas with internet access and were familiar with the slang use of the word “cool.” That may leave out voices from more rural or disconnected communities. Still, with nearly 6,000 responses collected online from 13 countries, the researchers say the trends are hard to ignore.

While the sample may not reflect everyone, it shows how some core ideas about personality are surprisingly widespread. And even though coolness and goodness differ in some key ways, both continue to shape how people view each other and build social relationships.

As culture continues to evolve, so will these ideas. But for now, being cool still means standing out—and maybe inspiring others to change the world around them.

Note: The article above provided above by The Brighter Side of News.

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