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It's not about wearing the latest fashion or being on the football team; the secret to being popular at school is 'mind reading'.

This is according to an Australian study that found popular children are better at knowing what others want, think and feel.

The same goes for pre-schoolers and young adults, suggesting that empathy is one of the most important skills for becoming part of the 'cool crowd'

It's not about wearing the latest fashion or being on the football team; the secret to being popular at school is 'mind reading'  (stock image used)

'Our study suggests that understanding others' mental perspectives may facilitate the kind of interactions that help children become or remain popular,' said Virginia Slaughter, professor of psychology at the University of Queensland.

The ability to find out what other people are thinking and feeling is called 'theory of the mind' and helps people distinguish, for instance, between sarcasm and insult.

While individual studies have shown an association with popularity in the past, this research looked across the findings of 20 different studies.

Together, the studies included 2,096 children from two to 10 years old from Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America.

The study found that the link was weaker for boys than girls, perhaps reflecting gender differences in how children relate to each other (stock image used)

As well as finding an overall link between children's abilities to empathise and their popularity, the study found that this connection was similar for pre-schoolers and for older children.

This suggests that understanding others' mental perspectives is important both for making friends in the early school years and for maintaining friendships as children grow older.

The study also found that the link was weaker for boys than girls, perhaps reflecting gender differences in how children relate to each other.

For example, girls' friendships often have higher levels of intimacy and the need to resolve conflicts more often, which may mean that their interactions require more sensitivity.

'Our findings suggest that training children to be sensitive to others' thoughts and feelings may improve their relationships with peers,' Professor Slaughter said.

'This may be particularly important for children who are struggling with friendship issues, such as children who are socially isolated.'