Photo: flickr/scott feldstein
What happens when someone pretends to have superpowers? Obviously, they don't actually gain superhuman strength, but maybe it makes them less vulnerable in non-physical ways. This study set out to test whether pretending to have superpowers changes how people deal with being socially excluded or rejected. As the authors put it: "Whereas owning such powers in reality would certainly be a life-changing experience, it is possible that simply possessing superpowers in one's imagination can be enough to defeat some inner demons." Be sure to read the fun passages that the researchers had the participants (gathered using mTurk) read to help them in their role-playing.
Superman to the rescue: Simulating physical invulnerability attenuates exclusion-related interpersonal biases. "People cope with social exclusion both by seeking reconnection with familiar individuals and by denigrating unfamiliar and disliked others. These reactions can be seen as adaptive responses in ancestral environments where ostracism ...
