It turns out there are six characteristics that determine whether a person is cool. 

New research published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology found a remarkable consensus after a survey of some 6,000 people in 12 countries - not including Ireland. 

On Lunchtime Live, Trinity Professor Brendan Kelly broke down the findings. 

“There was overwhelming agreement across the countries that cool people tend to be powerful, hedonistic - so, they like pleasure - adventurous, independent, open and extroverted,” he said. 

“So, they’re the qualities.” 

Notably, people also said what makes a person ‘cool’, does not necessarily make them ‘good’. 

“This survey also asks people what traits do they associate with people who are good - as opposed to cool,” Professor Kelly explained.  

“Apparently being good, people who are good are perceived as being more conforming, traditional, secure, warm, agreeable, conscientious and calm.

“So, cool is not quite the same as good.” 

A grandparent and his grandchild. Picture by: Pixabay.

Professor Kelly continued that people’s views were also consistent across age groups and gender.

“This study looked at people in really different countries - like Australia, Chile, China, India, Mexico - and it found no differences in how we see cool,” he said. 

“No differences in age - people of different ages gave pretty much the same answers. 

“And also, men and women gave pretty much the same answers as well. 

“So, there is some consistency.” 

Irish attitudes

Despite this, he said he expected that had they surveyed people in Ireland, the results would have been “a bit different”. 

“We don’t like people who are arrogant, we don’t like people who push themselves forward,” he said. 

“We do like people who are non-pretentious and yet manage to achieve and are powerful.” 

Professor Kelly added that people in Ireland like “relaxed authenticity”. 

“People who are open to a chat and people who have a distinctive sense of style,” he said. 

“I think they would be very big things here in Ireland.”

Main image: People having fun on the beach. Picture by: Alamy.com.