In public transport, indifference often reigns supreme. Absorbed by their screens or locked in their thoughts, users react little to the needs of others. However, a recent study from the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart of Milan, published in November 2025 in the journal npj Mental Health Research, shows that a simple unexpected element can be enough to modify these behaviors. The researchers, led by Francesco Pagnini, tested a surprising hypothesis: introducing a man dressed as Batman into a subway train to observe the impact on passengers' altruism.
The objective: to understand whether a visual disturbance in a routine environment can encourage prosocial gestures. The experiment, carried out in real conditions over 138 journeys in Milan, offers new insight into our social reflexes and opens up concrete avenues for encouraging mutual aid in public spaces.
A rigorous field methodology in a real urban setting
The study carried out by Francesco Pagnini and his team is based on a simple, but finely calibrated, experimental protocol. Over several weeks, the researchers organized 138 observation sessions in the Milan metro. They tested two conditions. In one, a woman pretending to be pregnant entered a crowded train. In the other, the same woman entered simultaneously with a man dressed as Batman, each through a different door, with no apparent interaction.
© Pagnini et al., 2025
Example of experimental setup: Batman and a woman simulating a pregnancy stand in a crowded subway.
The study design was designed to avoid bias. The two figures stayed about three meters apart, never spoke to each other, and did not attract excessive attention. Observations were only taken into account if all the seats were occupied and if the density of passengers around allowed everyone to notice the pregnant woman. Passengers who gave up their seats were then questioned, with their oral agreement, to determine their motivations.
Statistically, the team used a logistic regression model. The results are significant. In Batman's presence, 67.21% of passengers stood up to offer their place, compared to 37.66% in his absence. This represents an increase of 78%. The authors note that the observed effect far exceeds fluctuations due to chance. The study, approved by an ethics committee and registered on ClinicalTrials.gov, illustrates the value of real-world behavioral experiments, rarely conducted on this scale.
The role of disruption in awakening social attention
But be careful, the effect observed is not linked to the implicit authority of the superhero. On the contrary, according to the responses collected, no passenger directly cited Batman as the reason for their action. This data proves essential: 43.75% of participants who gave up their place had not even noticed its presence. This apparent paradox directs the interpretation towards a more subtle psychological phenomenon: the disruption of the usual pattern.
The concept at the heart of this analysis is that of disruption of routine. In a standardized and repetitive urban context, such as public transport, individuals adopt automatic behaviors. The appearance of an unexpected element – a man dressed as a vigilante – acts as a slight interruption but sufficient to take users out of their “automatic pilot”. This momentary readjustment of attention allows for greater sensitivity to social cues, such as the presence of a pregnant woman standing.
This theory is consistent with work on the “unexpected interruption technique” and micro-events that deactivate reflex responses. Batman's presence would not be a symbol of justice activating moral standards. But a non-threatening stimulus atypical enough to cause a cognitive start. This micro-surprise makes passengers momentarily more attentive to their environment, and therefore more likely to take a prosocial action.
According to Pagnini, this illustrates an interesting parallel with mindfulness: “Being attentive to the present moment increases receptivity to social cues. A simple disturbance can produce this effect, without voluntary intervention. » Thus, the study explores how the very structure of the environment influences daily social behavior.
Priming, social contagion or simple collective awakening?
In addition to routine disruption, researchers suggest two other avenues to explain the increase in altruistic behavior: the priming effect and passive social contagion. Priming, or behavioral priming, is well documented in psychology. In simple terms: seeing an image or figure associated with certain values can unconsciously activate these same values in the observer. Batman, a popular symbol of justice, could thus reinforce social norms such as aid or gallantry.
However, the authors remain cautious. Francesco Pagnini recalls that priming effects linked to superheroes have often been difficult to reproduce reliably. Consequently, the hypothesis of automatic priming by the figure of the vigilante remains speculative.
Another more intriguing explanation emerges: that of a collective resonance effect. In dense contexts like the subway, an unexpected event attracts the attention not only of a few individuals, but subtly changes the general atmosphere. Some passengers, upon noticing Batman's unusual presence, adjust their behavior. This in turn influences others through unconscious imitation. This phenomenon is known as interpersonal synchronization.
This is suggested by the fact that some of the passengers who did not see Batman still acted differently. The alert generated by other users propagates as a weak but sufficient social signal. This hypothesis opens up a perspective. The impact of a visual or sound stimulus in public space could go beyond its direct spectators. The behavior of a small number can initiate a contagious prosocial dynamic.
Towards a concrete application in urban planning
The study goes beyond behavioral analysis. It suggests concrete avenues of action to reintroduce kindness into the public space, often perceived as anonymous or even hostile. If a simple disguise can bring about a renewed sense of humanity, then it is possible to imagine gentle interventions to encourage attention to others.
The authors discuss the possibility of using artistic installations, performances or light visual disruptions to break up urban monotony without disturbing. The idea would be to introduce “positive disruptions” into daily flows: mobile works of art, costumed characters, interactive messages. These devices would not impose a message, but would cause a slight cognitive disturbance, sufficient to trigger a behavioral readjustment.
The study here joins the concerns of environmental psychology and behavioral urban planning. How can we make the city a place of attentive coexistence, and not of automatic indifference? It also calls into question the idea that only education or morality guides supportive behavior. The context, the atmosphere, the surprise play a determining role.
Finally, this research recalls the importance of thinking about humans in their contextual dimension. Kindness is not a fixed virtue, but a sensitive reaction to what is happening around. Integrating this data into public policies, awareness campaigns or the architecture of collective places becomes a powerful lever for strengthening social cohesion. Batman, unintentionally, shows that our ability to help sometimes depends on a simple… unexpected detail.
Source: Pagnini, F., Grosso, F., Cavalera, C. et al., “Unexpected events and prosocial behavior: the Batman effect”. npj Mental Health Res 457 (2025).
With an unwavering passion for local news, Christopher leads our editorial team with integrity and dedication. With over 20 years’ experience, he is the backbone of Wouldsayso, ensuring that we stay true to our mission to inform.
