Scientists say Batman presence boosts altruism in public spaces

Scientists have discovered that the presence of someone dressed as Batman can significantly improve how people behave in public spaces.

Published in npj Mental Health Research, the new study shows that commuters become noticeably more altruistic when the Caped Crusader appears—even if they don’t consciously notice him. This so-called “Batman effect” suggests that introducing unexpected, attention-grabbing elements may increase awareness and empathy in everyday environments.

The research team conducted a series of experiments in busy subway cars. In the first scenario, a visibly pregnant woman boarded the train, and observers recorded how often commuters offered her a seat. In the second version of the experiment, the pregnant woman entered from one door while a man dressed in a full Batman costume entered from another. Across 138 observed passengers, the difference in behavior was dramatic. Without Batman, just over 37 percent of commuters offered their seats. With Batman present, that number jumped to more than 67 percent, demonstrating a clear link between the unusual presence and increased prosocial response.

Lead author Francesco Pagnini, a clinical psychology professor at Università Cattolica in Milan, explained that the surprising visual disruption may help break people out of their mental autopilot. He compared the effect to mindfulness, which increases awareness of one’s environment and social cues. Strikingly, 44 percent of those who gave up their seats later reported not noticing Batman at all, indicating the effect works subconsciously.

Researchers argue that this insight could help shape real-world strategies to increase kindness and cooperation—from creative public installations to unconventional social behavior campaigns. The study adds new evidence that small, memorable disruptions can meaningfully impact everyday social interactions.