Experiment tests empathy of strangers

How many strangers would be prepared to give a freezing child the jacket off their back?

Non-profit group SOS Children's Villages decided to test the empathy level of everyday people with an experiment featuring a child, shivering alone at a bus stop.

Footage of the real-life test titled 'Would you give your jacket to Johannes' was uploaded to the group's website and the result is remarkable.

As the youngster tries to warm himself, each person who arrives to wait at the bus stop offers him their jacket, scarf or gloves.

One Good Samaritan even opts to sit in a flimsy T-shirt rather than sit huddled up in his thick jacket as the young boy shivers beside him.

A rough translation of the experiment was provided by a user on Reddit, and shows that most people were overwhelmed with empathy for the little boy after learning that "someone stole his jacket" and that he was "very cold".

Make sure you have your tissues ready before watching the video and prepare to have your faith in humanity restored.

Source: GG

Author: Natasha Lee, Approving editor: Simon Black