What if seeing Batman—or someone dressed like him—could change self-serving behavior? What if making small shifts in our daily routines can actually improve our social abilities? A recent study suggests this might be the case.

In a study conducted in Milan, Italy, and published in November 2025, the sight of a person dressed as Batman led to a nearly doubled rate of people giving up their seat to a pregnant woman. Over the course of 138 subway rides, researchers found that people who saw "Batman" standing near the pregnant woman were far more altruistic than those who did not.

Researchers are calling this the "Batman effect," suggesting a form of "involuntary" mindfulness may be at play. Noticing these subtle social cues appears to shift people's typical, automatic reactions. Most interestingly, 44 percent of the people questioned reported they did not even consciously register Batman's presence.

We assume our capacity for altruism is fixed. But the sight of a superhero—or a simple routine change—can increase it. As a speech pathologist, I'm fascinated by how these micro-moments can alter "big" aspects of ourselves, like how much we care for others. This is especially key in the realm of language and

© Psychology Today