Scientists Discover People Act More Altruistic When Batman Is Present

Psychology Today reports:

In a study conducted in Milan, Italy, and published in November 2025, the sight of a person dressed as Batman led to a nearly doubled rate of people giving up their seat to a pregnant woman. Over the course of 138 subway rides, researchers found that people who saw 'Batman' standing near the pregnant woman were far more altruistic than those who did not.

Researchers are calling this the 'Batman effect,' suggesting a form of 'involuntary' mindfulness may be at play. Noticing these subtle social cues appears to shift people's typical, automatic reactions. Most interestingly, 44 percent of the people questioned reported they did not even consciously register Batman's presence... The superhero costume serves as a visual nudge, pulling us out of our default, self-focused mode and into a more generous, attentive state.

More from Futurism:

Batman showing up is just one — albeit striking — way of promoting what's called 'prosocial behavior,' or the act of helping others around you, via introducing an unexpected event, the researchers write. 'Our findings are similar to those of previous research linking present-moment awareness (mindfulness) to greater prosociality,' said study lead author Francesco Pagnini, a professor of clinical psychology at the Università Cattolica in Milan, in a statement about the work. 'This may create a context in which individuals become more attuned to social cues.'


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