Nice one SUN: How a sunny day brings out the Good Samaritan in us Researchers discovered people more willing to help others on sunny days In cloudy weather, nearly half passed by on the other side of street when they saw a stranger drop a glove By Mark Howarth Gambolling lambs and a host of golden daffodils are sure signs that spring has sprung... as is the urge to help complete strangers, apparently. Researchers have discovered that people are more willing to play the Good Samaritan on sunny days. A team of French academics charted the reactions of hundreds of pedestrians faced with the dilemma of what to do when a stranger drops a glove. Spring has sprung: Daffodils are one sign that Spring is here. Researchers have also found that people are more willing to help each other when the weather improves In cloudy weather, nearly half passed by on the other side of the street, but when it was sunny, two thirds were glad to help. The experiments were carried out in two French town centres in dry summer conditions so that the only variable was the degree of cloud cover. A researcher walked ahead of random passers-by and pretended to accidentally drop a glove. When the sun was out, 156 out of 239 strangers - 65.3 per cent - offered their help. However, when it was dull, only 120 of 225 people intervened - 53.3 per cent. The report from the Universities of Paris South and Southern Brittany, published in the Journal of Social Psychology, says: "The difference was statistically significant. Spontaneous help is offered more easily on predominantly sunny days. Peter Foot, of the National Campaign for Courtesy, said: "When one pulls open the curtains in the morning, it can quite often set the tone for the whole day. A sunny day can give 'a natural fillip to the soul and send one out of the house full of bonhomie and ready to offer a smile to strangers' Some people are particularly badly affected if it is dark, grey and dull. On the other hand, a beautiful sunny morning can give a natural fillip to the soul and send one out of the house full of bonhomie and ready to offer a smile to strangers. But he said people should not let the weather dictate their willingness to put themselves out for others, adding: "The vast majority of people are good and intend to be nice to others. So I am disappointed so many in these experiments chose not to offer their help. It's a sad reflection on modern society. We have perhaps lost many of the social graces which used to be prominent. Many people tend to avoid eye contact and are embarrassed to talk to strangers. Other research has already shown that people are more positive, sociable and leave bigger tips in restaurants in good weather, while low levels of vitamin D - which is only produced by human skin under direct sunlight - are linked to depression and fatigue.