Prosocial behavior—voluntarily helping others—is considered a fundamental foundation of social life. Traditionally, it is associated with personal qualities: empathy, education, moral standards or religious beliefs.
However, modern research shows that willingness to help can also be influenced by external, situational factors, including unexpected events that disrupt normal daily life. One of the clearest examples of such an effect is the so-called “Batman effect,” identified in a field experiment in the Milan metro. Read more about him in the Rambler article.
How did the hypothesis come about?
Psychologists have long said that humans act mostly automatically, according to familiar scripts. However, unexpected and unusual events can disrupt this “autopilot” process and increase attention to what is happening in the here and now. This heightened state of awareness is like a short-term form of mindfulness – directing attention to the present moment without judgment.
The authors of a study published in the British Scientific Journal Naturesuggests that an unexpected but non-threatening event can temporarily alter a person's attentional structure and increase their sensitivity to the needs of others. To test this idea, they chose the most mundane situation – traveling on public transport – and the least social action: giving up their seat to a pregnant woman.
Nature of the experiment
The study was carried out in the Milan metro. A total of 138 trips were recorded, divided into two groups.
In the control group, a female experimenter entered the car and simulated pregnancy using a special mannequin. Not far from her, there was an observer recording the passengers' reactions.
In the test scenario, the scenario was identical except for one element: a man dressed as Batman entered the train through a different door. He did not interact with the woman or passengers, did not intentionally attract attention and stood about three meters away. Masks that cover the upper part of the face are not used for ethical reasons, but the costume is easily recognizable due to the cape, emblem and distinctive appearance.
Each observation cycle lasts one stop (about two to four minutes). The study only included trips where all seats were in use and the number of standing passengers was no more than five – this guaranteed the chance of seeing both matriarchs and heroes.
Whose voice resonates in our heads when we read to ourselves?
What did the researchers analyze?
The main indicator is actual behavior: whether someone gives up their seat to a woman or not. If this happens, the observers will ask the passenger a short question about the reason for his action. The experimental conditions further determined whether the person noticed Batman's presence or not.
Logistic regression was used to analyze the data because the outcome variable was binary (set or not). The statistical power of the study was calculated a priori and in accordance with accepted scientific standards.
Result
The difference between conditions was statistically significant. In the control group, this position was ceded 37.66% of the time, while in the presence of Batman, this number increased to 67.21%. In other words, the likelihood of prosocial behavior almost doubled.
Calculation of odds ratios showed that the occurrence of an unexpected event increased the likelihood of receiving help by more than 3.3 times. This model is statistically significant (p
The most notable detail is that 44% of people who gave up their seats in the test condition said they didn't pay attention to Batman at all. Furthermore, none of the respondents linked their decision to help with the presence of a person in a superhero costume.
This means that the impact of an unexpected event can occur without conscious awareness. The authors suggest that disruptions from the usual scenario can change the overall atmosphere in the car, influence the allocation of attention, or even “socially spread” through the behavior of other passengers.
Possible mechanism
Researchers have offered several explanations. One of them involves a short-term increase in awareness: an unexpected event disrupts automatic responses and makes a person more receptive to social cues.
Another explanation is the symbolic priming effect. Batman as a cultural image is associated with protection, justice and helping the weak, which can unconsciously activate corresponding behavioral norms. However, the authors emphasize that social priming effects have often been poorly replicated in recent years, so this interpretation requires caution.
Limit
The authors emphasize that the study was conducted in a specific cultural and transportation context, and that the age and gender of the participants were assessed visually, which limits the accuracy of the demographic conclusions. Furthermore, it remains an open question whether a similar effect would occur with other unexpected characters or events that do not have positive symbolism.
Benefits of research
The experiment shows that to increase pro-social behavior, it is not necessary to directly appeal to morality or empathy. It is enough to add a transient and seemingly insignificant factor to alter behavioral responses in real-world, non-laboratory settings.
The results open up the possibility of applying similar effects in urban spaces, from artistic interventions to social campaigns aimed at increasing mindfulness and mutual support in everyday life.
We previously wrote about what happens to the brain if we stop yawning.
