A scientific study out of Italy shows that research can be a lot of fun. The researchers took 138 rides on the Milan metro to observe the behavior of strangers. Their conclusion was that when someone dressed as Batman got onto a train car, riders were significantly more likely to give up their seat to a pregnant woman. Dress for the job you want, indeed. This study is easily replicable; all you need are an obviously pregnant woman, someone with a Batman suit, and someone to observe and crunch the numbers. The effect is not exactly unknown, as a story from a bus driver illustrates the way the Caped Crusader affects passengers.
Not that anyone was afraid of Batman. The character of Batman isn't thought to spur prosocial behavior, meaning the tendency to help others. The study frames the presence of Batman as an "unexpected event," which drew attention. When that happens, people become less locked into their phones and more aware of the environment around them. That's when they noticed a pregnant woman standing. The same people would have given up their seat anyway, if they'd been paying more attention. To be sure, someone should replicate the experiment using someone dressed as a the Joker. -via Metafilter