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This is Scientific Americans 60 Second Science.

I'm Lucy Wong.

Oh. 60 second science. I'm Lucy Wong. Have you ever left the theater after watching a Batman or Superman movie feeling like you

wanted to be a better person?

If so, you're not alone. Research finds that superheroes may be more than just entertaining.

They can also influence people to do good deeds.

So there has been research that's looked at the motivational function of heroes, and we were thinking that they're supposed to help set

guidelines or be exemplars for moral or virtuous behaviors that people should emulate.

Darrell Van Togren, an associate professor of psychology at Hope College in Michigan.

To see if superheroes can inspire people to be more altruistic or act pro-socially, the researchers

asked participants to enter a room with either a Superman poster or a poster of a bicycle on the wall.

The volunteers were then asked to describe the items in the

...