No longer was everyone completely self-involved; with the presence of a superhero, commuters started helping each other more than they would’ve without him around. Batman showing up is just one — albeit striking — way of promoting what’s called “prosocial behavior,” or the act of helping others around you, via introducing an unexpected event, the researchers write. Over 67 percent of passengers offered their seats when Batman was present, compared to just over 37 percent when Batman wasn’t there. Most, in both cases, were women: 68 percent with Batman there, and 65 without him. In the study, he added the findings “could inform strategies to promote altruistic behaviors in daily life, from public art installations to innovative social campaigns.