The Batman Effect

Researchers from the University of Minnesota and Hamilton College studied work perseverance in four and six year olds and found that those kids pretending to be superheroes (loosely defined as Batman, Bob the Builder, Rapunzel and Dora the Explorer) worked more than those who were asked to think of themselves in the first person or those who were just being “me” (World Economic Forum, 12.4.17).

Makes sense. I’d be a much better librarian if I could imagine myself to be Bunny Watson in Desk Set or Sydney Bristow in Alias or yes, even and especially, Wonder Woman.