Scientists reveal strict criteria that make someone a ‘badass’

Think you’re a badass? Science might tell you otherwise.

A new study, published as a pre-print paper on PsyArXiv that has not yet been peer-reviewed, has revealed the strict criteria that make a person a badass.

Over 2,000 people participated in questionnaires on what they think about what it means to be a badass, allowing researchers to add to the dictionary definition.

Navy SEALs are considered badass by the scientists’ standards. Greg Mathieson/Mai/Getty Images

The study, conducted by Breanna K. Nguyen, a cognitive scientist at Yale University, and Michael Prinzing, a psychologist at Baylor University, presented respondents with scenarios about fictional characters to evaluate perceived levels of badassness.

Scientists found that people use two distinct sets of criteria for attributing “badassness” — one concrete and one abstract.

A badass either has an “outer toughness,” an “inner toughness” or both.

“Outer toughness” is more superficial, consisting of physical strength, a “formidable presence” or both, while “inner toughness” consists of moral resilience, strength of character and courage. Inner toughness also included resisting social pressure, doing the right thing and taking on hard challenges.

Those who do not have the outer, superficial traits can “still embody the deeper essence of badassness” with the inner traits.

Malala Yousafzai is a badass with more “inner toughness.” REUTERS

Adjectives that were used to describe a badass included “not afraid,” “tough,” “true,” “good,” “confident,” “brave,” “willing,” “independent,” “positive” and “able.”

The dictionary definition of a badass has a negative connotation, but also good, lending to the researchers’ idea that badassery is a “deeply puzzling concept.”

For example, Dictionary.com defines badass as “a bad or slightly frightening person” as well as “someone or something that you admire or find impressive.”

Nelson Mandela is a notable badass. TREVOR SAMSON/AFP via Getty Images

Now, researchers can expand on the definition since over time it has come to mean more than it originally did.

“Hence, the original meaning might be very negative, but the broader meaning might encompass certain positive qualities as well,” the authors wrote in the paper.

They added, “Radically different kinds of people, ranging from peaceful advocates to fierce warriors, can each be considered badasses.”

Mike Tyson is a badass with “outer toughness.” Getty Images

Some examples of badasses according to the paper include Genghis Khan, Mike Tyson, Nelson Mandela, Malala Yousafzai, as well as Navy SEALs.

“Whereas a warrior like Genghis is a paradigm of outer toughness, Malala is a paradigm of this more abstract, inner toughness,” the paper says.