Mastodawn

"We conducted a quasi-experimental field study on the Milan metro, observing 138 rides. In the control condition, a female experimenter, appearing pregnant, boarded the train with an observer. In the experimental condition, an additional experimenter dressed as Batman entered from another door. Passengers were significantly more likely to offer their seat when Batman was present"

https://www.nature.com/articles/s44184-025-00171-5

Unexpected events and prosocial behavior: the Batman effect - npj Mental Health Research

Prosocial behavior, the act of helping others, is essential to social life, yet spontaneous environmental triggers for such behavior remain underexplored. This study tested whether an unexpected event, such as the presence of a person dressed as Batman, could increase prosocial behavior by disrupting routine and enhancing attention to the present moment. We conducted a quasi-experimental field study on the Milan metro, observing 138 rides. In the control condition, a female experimenter, appearing pregnant, boarded the train with an observer. In the experimental condition, an additional experimenter dressed as Batman entered from another door. Passengers were significantly more likely to offer their seat when Batman was present (67.21% vs. 37.66%, OR = 3.393, p < 0.001). Notably, 44% of those who offered their seat in the experimental condition reported not seeing Batman. These findings suggest that unexpected events can promote prosociality, even without conscious awareness, with implications for encouraging kindness in public settings. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov n° NCT06481748; registered on July 1, 2024.

Nature

@regehr
> This study tested whether an unexpected event, such as the presence of a person dressed as Batman, could increase prosocial behavior by disrupting routine and enhancing attention to the present moment

Okay, but how do they know that's the reasoning, rather than simply "I don't want to disappoint/anger Batman"? Like, did they repeat the experiment with someone dressed as a baddie instead?

Mark Whybird Nov 24

@Hyperlynx @regehr They do acknowledge this:

“…the experimental manipulation involved positive symbolism (Batman is a superhero), which may have increased the salience of positive values, thereby prompting prosocial behavior, as suggested by past research investigating the effects of superhero-related priming[15,16]. It remains unclear, however, whether the observed effect is unique to Batman or would also emerge with other unexpected figures. Future research should therefore test a range of characters or disruptions, varying in both emotional valence and symbolic meaning, to clarify the boundary conditions of this effect.”

Guillotine Jones, Flâneur Nov 24

@whybird @Hyperlynx @regehr
Now try the experiment with the Joker or the Penguin present and report back to us.

Lumiukko Nov 24

@whybird @Hyperlynx @regehr It's very interesting how many people discuss the batman, attributing the effect to that particular character or because they feel the urge to behave well, without reading the paper. In the paper it clearly states that the authors are not sure what the cause is. They even say it is more likely just the disruption of the normal state, leading people to pay more attention to other things.

So many sibling commenters should just glance over the discussion section.

Mark Whybird Nov 24

@lumiukko @Hyperlynx @regehr Indeed, even just right up front in the Abstract it says “Notably, 44% of those who offered their seat in the experimental condition reported not seeing Batman.”

@whybird @lumiukko @Hyperlynx @regehr
Princess Alice was invisible in this earlier study
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21377689/

So perhaps the subjects didn't need to see Batman to be made aware of his judging presence

"Princess Alice is watching you": children's belief in an invisible person inhibits cheating - PubMed

Two child groups (5-6 and 8-9 years of age) participated in a challenging rule-following task while they were (a) told that they were in the presence of a watchful invisible person ("Princess Alice"), (b) observed by a real adult, or (c) unsupervised. Children were covertly videotaped performing the …

PubMed

Lumiukko Nov 24

@bornach @whybird @Hyperlynx @regehr But this is again assuming the effect is by some "character" watching. The authors of the other paper noted that the character may have just "interrupted" them in a way that they paid more attention to their surroundings, thus noticed the pregnant person in the first place. Their action to offer a seat is a different story, maybe the character plays a role - this would be an interesting follow-up.

@lumiukko indeed, I did not read the whole paper. I did read the summary, from which I pulled the quote.

Seems like a reasonable enough confounding factor that they ought to have used a clown, or a dinosaur, or The Penguin, or a guy in a gorilla suit, or... And failing that, why not mention in the summary why not? It seems pretty significant.

@Hyperlynx Limitations in funding, perhaps.

Experimentation generally starts small. You find interesting correlations, and seek funding for a more full-fledged experiment or hope others can pick up your lead and do so.

Magnus Ahltorp Nov 24

@lumiukko @whybird @Hyperlynx @regehr The abstract should contain the most important points of the discussion, should it not?

Mark Whybird Nov 24

@ahltorp @lumiukko @Hyperlynx @regehr https://aus.social/@whybird/115604212055673952

Mark Movember Whybird (@whybird@aus.social)

@lumiukko@metalhead.club @Hyperlynx @regehr@mastodon.social Indeed, even just right up front in the Abstract it says “Notably, 44% of those who offered their seat in the experimental condition reported not seeing Batman.”

Aus.Social

Magnus Ahltorp Nov 24

@whybird Yeah, I was referring to the ”So many sibling commenters should just glance over the discussion section”. In my world, you either read the abstract to get the gist of the discussion, or you read the discussion thoroughly, no need to ”glance”.

Mark Whybird Nov 24

@ahltorp Ah, fair enough. Got it.

@Hyperlynx I guess this is related to the "watching eyes" effect. In the image, the batman guy looks attentive. I bet the result would already be different if he'd look at his mobile instead. @regehr

geofflangdale Nov 24

@regehr The choice of Batman as a "unusual event" seems confounding, since perhaps at least subliminally, people are probably reminded of the idea that "someone might be cruising around enforcing moral order" by the presence of the Caped Crusader.

Enola Knezevic Nov 24

@geofflangdale @regehr If I saw a Batman and it weren't Halloween, I would assume there was a social experiment or at least a hidden camera.

Passwordsarehard4 Nov 24

@rhelune @geofflangdale @regehr I’d start thinking about how much a batmoblie costs and completely not see the pregnant lady standing next to him.

geofflangdale Nov 27

@passwordsarehard4 @rhelune @regehr I guess that's why he's taking transit; batmobile got repo'd

Bob Blaskiewicz 🇺🇦 🇨🇦 🇬🇱Nov 24

@regehr ignobel prize assured.

Logan’s 12 Days of Christmas Nov 24

@regehr Because he’s the metro rider Gotham needs right now.

Badmusicvideos Nov 24

@regehr What do you think the reason for this behavior is? It could be that Batman just reminded them of law and order, or the presence of batman made them more alert and attentive enough to notice the woman.

@badmusicvideos @regehr

The article says that 44% of people who offered their seat in the presence of Batman reported that they didn't see Batman.

So, my assumption is, a few people notice Batman, look up, maybe say something, just act in ways that aren't usual on public transport. This slight disturbance triggers other people to look around themselves more, and in some cases notice the apparently pregnant woman. So even people who don't themselves see Batman are affected by him.

Otte Homan - remember Geordie Nov 24

@regehr paging @MarcAbrahams ....

millennial fulcrum Nov 24

@regehr I will read it but can anyone explain why?

Passwordsarehard4 Nov 24

@falcennial @regehr childhood trauma, believe it or not, seen his parents die. Now, are you really going to go back and read the article?

@falcennial https://futurism.com/health-medicine/study-batman-effect

The article breaks it down a bit for public consumption.

Scientists Discover That People Act Way Better When Batman Is Present

It turns out that the mere presence of a guy dressed as Batman is enough to turn dead inside commuters into momentary altruists.

Futurism

@minkorrekt 🤣 siehe oben

John Q McDonald Nov 24

@regehr “Holy civil behavior, Batman!”

@regehr this is what real science is about!

skedarwarrior Nov 24

@regehr That is just such a random... experiment to test.

But I imagine, the reason they did so, was batman probably intimidated them without doing anything.

Big tall masked man good for spooking people just by being there.

KanaMauna Nov 24

Well duh, who wants to get beaten up by Batman on their way to work?

Lats (314 ppm)Nov 24

@regehr wow! What a result!

David Cohen Nov 24

@regehr @LoganFive Stitched pleather top, floppy thin cowl and sneakers.

They were probably standing up to get a closer look at Poundland Batman.

Florian 'floe' Echtler Nov 24

@regehr allow me to quote my wife: "The Knight makes folks polite."

After being screamed at and called a patronising f..k by the pregnant woman I once offered my train seat to, I'd assume that Batman was there to protect me from experimenter 1.

Jarek Kopeć Nov 24

This is why we need heroes.

How about the Joker?

Maybe something for the Journal of Irreproducible Results?

GinevraCat Nov 24

@regehr @ShaulaEvans I love this. Time to hire Batmen for the trains 😃

Snaprails Nov 24

@regehr The things some people will do to get a research grant rather than a proper job...

MostlyTato Nov 24

@regehr
"Passengers were significantly more likely to offer their seat when Batman was present."
I love this. 😎

emergencydoc Nov 25

@regehr Should have been published in the Journal of Irreproducible Results