The Batman Effect: When Batman rides the subway, people become kinder.

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It was an ordinary morning in Milan’s metro system — until Batman showed up.

The appearance of a man dressed as the Dark Knight had an unexpected side effect: commuters suddenly became more altruistic. When a pregnant woman boarded the train, people were far more likely to give up their seats when Batman was nearby.

According to a new study by psychologists from Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, the presence of Batman boosted altruism from 37.66% in the control group to 67.21% in the experimental one.

“The sudden appearance of something unexpected — Batman — disrupts the predictability of everyday life and forces people to be present, breaking free from autopilot,” said Professor Francesco Pagnini, lead author of the study.

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"We conducted an experimental field study on the Milan subway," Professor Pagnini explains, "observing the behavior of 138 passengers. In the first part of our test (control condition), an experimenter, apparently pregnant, boarded the train with an observer." The experts assessed the passengers' tendency to give up their seats for the pregnant woman.

In the experimental condition, another experimenter dressed as Batman entered the scene from another door of the train. Faced with this unexpected encounter, passengers were significantly more likely to offer their seats: 67.21% of passengers offered their seats in the presence of Batman, or more than two out of three, compared to 37.66% in the control experiment, or just over one out of three.

Furthermore, the professor notes, 44% of those who offered their seats in the experimental condition reported not having seen Batman. These results suggest that unexpected events can promote prosociality, even in the absence of awareness, with implications for encouraging kindness in public settings

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Superheroes often symbolize virtue and protection. “The superhero figure enhanced the relevance of cultural values, gender roles, and norms of chivalrous help,” Pagnini said in the press release. It’s possible, then, that Batman didn’t just disrupt awareness — he also primed people to act heroically themselves.

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