VIDEO: Appearances matter - shocking experiment on Paris streets goes viral

A YouTube video shows how passers-by react differently to a man's pleas for help, depending on how well he is dressed. Would you have stopped?

A shocking experiment carried out by a French comic has gone viral on the internet with over 1m views.

The three-minute clip, entitled 'Le poids des apparences | The importance of appearances' shows YouTuber 'NorniTUBE' collapsing on a Paris street and appealing for aid from passers-by.

In the first instance he is dressed shabbily, to appear homeless. Predictably, his pleas for help are ignored by passing commuters, with most barely casting a glance in his direction.

In the second half of the video NorniTUBE dons a shirt and tie, and repeats the street collapse.

This time, his fellow Parisiens rush to his aid immediately.

Watch the video below:

"I've never been so sad and shocked while filming as I was for this experience," NorniTUBE wrote in the video description.

"I hope this video will make you want to help anyone, regardless of their appearance."

However many online commenters criticised the 'experiment' as a facile stunt.

"I refuse the insinuations of this video, it is an unfair comparison," wrote one.

"Appearance discrimination is somewhat justified: when the guy is dressed up as a homeless man, people think he is either drunk, on drugs, super sad, crazy or all of it, which is not unheard of.

"Aidez moi" could easily be interpreted as, I'm drunk out of my mind, I'm broke, I'm tired, I'm hungover, I'm hungry, I have no place to go.

"Nobody wants to deal with that.

"I do wonder what the reactions would be if the medical emergency was evident, and could not be confused with a state of mind.

What would you have done, faced with this situation?

Do you think you would have stopped?