The Science of Coolness: Cool People Are The Most Interested
Recent scientific research shows that being "cool" doesn't mean emotional detachment; instead, it requires openness, curiosity and caring.
What if I told you that being “cool” isn’t about being emotionally detached - but instead, caring deeply?
For a long time, I thought the coolest people were the ones who didn’t care the most. They were effortlessly perfect. Unfazed by fear. Emotionless, even.
But, the more time I spent studying creativity - and quite honestly, building Daydreamers to help all of us tap into it - the more I realized: The coolest, most creative people were obsessed with life.
They weren’t following trends or guessing what others would like. They were fully immersed. They noticed small things. And, they got excited about everything - from a flower on their walk to a new idea for a project.
Eventually, it clicked: They weren’t cool because they were already interesting; they were cool because they were interested in all of it.
Hey there - Katina here. I’m a Creative Health Scientist, and the Co-founder & Chief Science Officer of Daydreamers. Every week, I explore the science of Creative Health - or how we can all live the most meaningful, beautiful, and creative lives.
🚨 In August, we’re launching something new: A place to go deeper into the science of creativity, nerd out with us on research like this, and join our Pondering Club - for people who are done with surface-level content. Look out for more details next week!
Now, this idea - that coolness comes from being openly, confidently, and even joyfully immersed in life - isn’t just a personal theory.
There’s scientific research to back it up.
A brand-new study that was published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology looked at the psychological traits we actually associate with being “cool.” And, no surprise to us @ DD HQ - they map directly onto the core components of Creative Health we’ve been measuring at Daydreamers for years: Openness. Curiosity. Authenticity. Imagination. Emotional presence.
So this week, let’s explore what this study actually found, and what it means for creative magnetism, taste, and how to cultivate a life that people (yourself included!) feel pulled toward.
Being Cool Is About Creative Absorption
Earlier this year, researchers set out to answer a surprisingly difficult question: What actually makes someone cool?
Not aspirational. Not intimidating. Just…magnetic. The kind of person you want to sit next to at dinner, or listen to talk about anything. The kind of person who has taste - in life, in ideas, in how they move through the world.
What these researchers found actually completely overturned the old stereotypes about coolness. Even they were even surprised: People who showed less emotions in photos were less cool than those who were outwardly excited.
Even more interestingly, from a scientific perspective the “coolest” people were rated highly on psychological traits like openness to experience, nonconformity, and capacity to take risks - all of which map directly onto the 8 core markers of Creative Health that we’ve been studying and building at Daydreamers for years.
From my view, as it turns out, the most magnetic people aren’t disconnected. They’re present. They’re the ones who let themselves be moved. Who notice beauty, contradiction, and complexity - and don’t rush to resolve it. They allow life to surprise them.
And, this kind of presence isn’t just a vibe. It’s an actual measurable, psychological state.
In psychology, it’s called absorption, or the ability to become deeply immersed in an experience, often losing track of time or self-consciousness. Research shows that high absorption is correlated with creativity, emotional openness, flow states, and even increased meaning in life.
It’s also a core predictor of what makes someone “awe-prone” - someone who’s more likely to feel a sense of wonder in everyday life.
Strengthen Your Coolness - With Awe
Awe, as we now know, isn’t just a nice-to-have feeling. Proactively experiencing it been shown to expand time perception, reduce inflammation, and increase prosocial behavior.
In other words: when we let ourselves notice, we heal.
In one of my favorite studies, led by psychologist Dr. Dacher Keltner, older adults were simply instructed to take “awe walks” - slow strolls where they intentionally sought out beauty, vastness, and wonder in their surroundings. By the end of the study, not only did they report greater joy and connection, but their smiles literally got wider (a physiological sign of enhanced emotional well-being.)
At Daydreamers, we’ve always believed this - and built creative exercises around it so any of us can strengthen it. We call it your capacity to Notice: the ability to stay with your own curiosity long enough for it to open into something meaningful.
We’ve seen it again and again in our data: the most creatively healthy people aren’t the ones striving to be extraordinary. They’re the ones who pay attention. Who see ideas in everyday conversations. Who get energized by life itself - and aren’t afraid to show it.
So maybe coolness was never about standing back after all. Maybe it’s about letting the world in.
If we all did that more often - think about how much more creatively health our world would be.
- Katina
Daydreamers’ Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer
Daydreamers: Become Your Coolest, Most Creative Self
At Daydreamers, we believe that the coolest, most magnetic version of you isn’t a mystery. It’s something you can build - at any age, with any background, starting exactly where you are.
Our science-backed platform personalizes your creative journey based on what you actually need; whether that’s less stress, more inspiration, or just a deeper sense of meaning. So, if you’re ready to invest in your creativity, your health, and the version of you that feels most alive - come join us.
Your Creative Health Protocol 🧠
This newsletter gives you the why behind strengthening your Creative Health. Daydreamers gives you the tools to try it out in real life - here’s a taste.
Go On An Awe Walk 🤓
Takeaway: When we experience awe, our sense of self temporarily dissolves, our attention expands, and we become more open to new perspectives. This kind of presence is what psychologists call absorption - the ability to become deeply immersed in an experience, which is a key predictor of both creative thinking and overall life meaning. Read more about Katina’s take on Awe Walks in a piece she wrote here.
Action: The next time you step outside, pause and look around as if you’re seeing it all for the very first time. Instead of tuning out the world around you with a podcast blaring or racing to your next appointment - take in every color, texture, sound and nuance. Our Notice prompts on the Daydreamers app help you get into a state of Awe more easily, but simply tuning into your senses is a great start.
Expand Your Creative Brain 🪐
Exposure to new ideas is an essential part of Creative Health. So, here’s what we’ve been enjoying, digesting, exploring and expanding - instead of doomscrolling and going down the (wrong) kind of rabbit holes.
📖 Read: The Teen Luddites - This is one of my favorite essays ever (I re-read it when I need to remember why any of this matters 😅). It follows a group of high schoolers who gave up their smartphones - and what happened when they traded digital distraction for depth, wonder, and real-life creativity. It’s a beautiful meditation on attention, meaning, and the future.
💭 Learn: From the Greater Good Zine - Produced by the Greater Good Science Center at Berkeley (where Dr. Keltner and team are doing some of the best research on awe and meaning), this zine is one of my favorite places to dig deeper into the science of living a good life.
🌸 Try: Collective, Creative Effervescence - Summer is the perfect time to immerse yourself in awe with other people - especially strangers. A few weeks ago, Dupi and I went to Stern Grove Festival, an amazing (free!) outdoor concert series in SF, and it reminded me how energizing it is to be around people who are just…fully alive. From spontaneous games in the park to giant birthday cake parties, keep your eyes open for wonder-filled, shared experiences. They’re everywhere.
Tell us in the comments: What’s the last thing that made you feel completely absorbed in life? ✨
As always, thank you for thinking with me - and our crew at DD HQ - this week. If this post sparked anything for you, please consider liking, commenting or sharing it with someone who needs it. It’s our mission to help as many people as we can - and every form of engagement helps. Your voice is an act of creativity - and we appreciate every single one 🤎🧠🪐