Overview
- In 138 Milan metro trials, passengers offered a seat 67.21% of the time when a Batman-costumed man was present versus 37.66% without him, according to npj Mental Health Research.
- The experiment used a researcher with a prosthetic pregnancy belly and a second experimenter dressed as Batman who entered from another door and never interacted with her.
- To avoid alarming riders, the Batman experimenter wore the recognizable cape and cowl features but no mask during trials, while observers discreetly recorded behavior.
- Among those who stood in the Batman condition, 44% later said they had not noticed Batman and none credited him for their choice, suggesting indirect or subconscious effects.
- Authors propose that an unexpected stimulus may increase situational awareness, note women were more likely than men to give seats, and call for replications with other characters to test generality.