{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7130415382","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2602.15785","title":"This human study did not involve human subjects: Validating LLM simulations as behavioral evidence","display_name":"This human study did not involve human subjects: Validating LLM simulations as behavioral evidence","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-02-17","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7130415382","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2602.15785"},"language":null,"primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2602.15785","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2602.15785","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"article"},"type":"preprint","indexed_in":["datacite"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"green","oa_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2602.15785","any_repository_has_fulltext":true},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5126331059","display_name":"Jessica Hullman","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":true,"raw_author_name":"Hullman, Jessica","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5126335959","display_name":"David Broska","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Broska, David","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5106416044","display_name":"Huaman Sun","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Sun, Huaman","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5073851550","display_name":"Aaron Shaw","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4330-957X"},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Shaw, Aaron","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"affiliations":[]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":0,"institutions_distinct_count":4,"corresponding_author_ids":["https://openalex.org/A5126331059"],"corresponding_institution_ids":[],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":null,"has_fulltext":false,"cited_by_count":0,"citation_normalized_percentile":null,"cited_by_percentile_year":null,"biblio":{"volume":null,"issue":null,"first_page":null,"last_page":null},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T13910","display_name":"Computational and Text Analysis Methods","score":0.376800000667572,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3300","display_name":"General Social Sciences"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/33","display_name":"Social Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T13910","display_name":"Computational and Text Analysis Methods","score":0.376800000667572,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3300","display_name":"General Social Sciences"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/33","display_name":"Social Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T12090","display_name":"Language and cultural evolution","score":0.06449999660253525,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3316","display_name":"Cultural Studies"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/33","display_name":"Social Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10028","display_name":"Topic Modeling","score":0.05180000141263008,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1702","display_name":"Artificial Intelligence"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/heuristic","display_name":"Heuristic","score":0.7369999885559082},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/causal-inference","display_name":"Causal inference","score":0.7009999752044678},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/inference","display_name":"Inference","score":0.5782999992370605},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/calibration","display_name":"Calibration","score":0.5066999793052673},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/statistical-inference","display_name":"Statistical inference","score":0.5037999749183655},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/focus","display_name":"Focus (optics)","score":0.49720001220703125},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/causal-model","display_name":"Causal model","score":0.4864000082015991},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/statistical-hypothesis-testing","display_name":"Statistical hypothesis testing","score":0.445499986410141},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/statistical-model","display_name":"Statistical model","score":0.4212999939918518}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C173801870","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q201413","display_name":"Heuristic","level":2,"score":0.7369999885559082},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C158600405","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5054566","display_name":"Causal inference","level":2,"score":0.7009999752044678},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776214188","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q408386","display_name":"Inference","level":2,"score":0.5782999992370605},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.5687999725341797},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C165838908","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q736777","display_name":"Calibration","level":2,"score":0.5066999793052673},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C134261354","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q938438","display_name":"Statistical inference","level":2,"score":0.5037999749183655},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C192209626","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q190909","display_name":"Focus (optics)","level":2,"score":0.49720001220703125},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C11671645","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5054567","display_name":"Causal model","level":2,"score":0.4864000082015991},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C119857082","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2539","display_name":"Machine learning","level":1,"score":0.48159998655319214},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C87007009","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q210832","display_name":"Statistical hypothesis testing","level":2,"score":0.445499986410141},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C154945302","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11660","display_name":"Artificial intelligence","level":1,"score":0.42800000309944153},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C114289077","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3284399","display_name":"Statistical model","level":2,"score":0.4212999939918518},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C15744967","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9418","display_name":"Psychology","level":0,"score":0.41909998655319214},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C149782125","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q160039","display_name":"Econometrics","level":1,"score":0.4034000039100647},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C180747234","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q23373","display_name":"Cognitive psychology","level":1,"score":0.39079999923706055},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C539667460","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2414942","display_name":"Management science","level":1,"score":0.3492000102996826},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776502983","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q690182","display_name":"Contrast (vision)","level":2,"score":0.3416000008583069},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C120894424","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1322871","display_name":"Exploratory data analysis","level":2,"score":0.33180001378059387},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C40722632","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5160137","display_name":"Confirmatory factor analysis","level":3,"score":0.33009999990463257},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2522767166","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2374463","display_name":"Data science","level":1,"score":0.321399986743927},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C64357122","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1149766","display_name":"Causality (physics)","level":2,"score":0.3158999979496002},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C85973986","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1091731","display_name":"Exploratory research","level":2,"score":0.3156000077724457},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C55037315","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5421151","display_name":"Experimental data","level":2,"score":0.31360000371932983},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C96608239","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1199823","display_name":"Statistical power","level":2,"score":0.3107999861240387},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C158154518","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7310970","display_name":"Relevance (law)","level":2,"score":0.2980000078678131},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C120936955","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2155640","display_name":"Empirical research","level":2,"score":0.2953000068664551},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C3018260909","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1322871","display_name":"Exploratory analysis","level":2,"score":0.2921000123023987},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C112930515","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4389547","display_name":"Risk analysis (engineering)","level":1,"score":0.2648000121116638},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C117035363","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3769299","display_name":"Human behavior","level":2,"score":0.2558000087738037},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C66024118","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1122506","display_name":"Computational model","level":2,"score":0.25110000371932983}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":1,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2602.15785","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2602.15785","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":null,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"article"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2602.15785","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2602.15785","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"article"},"sustainable_development_goals":[{"display_name":"Quality Education","id":"https://metadata.un.org/sdg/4","score":0.4511604309082031}],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"pdf":false,"grobid_xml":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":0,"referenced_works":[],"related_works":[],"abstract_inverted_index":{"A":[0],"growing":[1],"literature":[2],"uses":[3],"large":[4],"language":[5],"models":[6],"(LLMs)":[7],"as":[8],"synthetic":[9],"participants":[10,183],"to":[11,65,85,118],"generate":[12],"cost-effective":[13],"and":[14,48,69,80,124,134],"nearly":[15],"instantaneous":[16],"responses":[17],"in":[18,184],"social":[19],"science":[20],"experiments.":[21],"However,":[22],"there":[23],"is":[24,55],"limited":[25],"guidance":[26],"on":[27,150,160,178],"when":[28,174],"such":[29],"simulations":[30],"support":[31],"valid":[32,43],"inference":[33],"about":[34],"human":[35,71,113,151,182],"behavior.":[36],"We":[37,168],"contrast":[38],"two":[39],"strategies":[40,83],"for":[41,57,91,104,120,181],"obtaining":[42],"estimates":[44,138],"of":[45,139,156],"causal":[46,140],"effects":[47,141],"clarify":[49],"the":[50,98,154,165],"assumptions":[51],"under":[52],"which":[53],"each":[54],"suitable":[56],"exploratory":[58,93],"versus":[59],"confirmatory":[60,105],"research.":[61,106],"Heuristic":[62],"approaches":[63,96,158],"seek":[64],"establish":[66],"that":[67,147],"simulated":[68,125],"observed":[70,123],"behavior":[72],"are":[73,172],"interchangeable":[74],"through":[75],"prompt":[76],"engineering,":[77],"model":[78],"fine-tuning,":[79],"other":[81],"repair":[82],"designed":[84],"reduce":[86],"LLM-induced":[87],"inaccuracies.":[88],"While":[89],"useful":[90],"many":[92],"tasks,":[94],"heuristic":[95],"lack":[97],"formal":[99],"statistical":[100,109,116,130],"guarantees":[101],"typically":[102],"required":[103],"In":[107],"contrast,":[108],"calibration":[110,131],"combines":[111],"auxiliary":[112],"data":[114],"with":[115],"adjustments":[117],"account":[119],"discrepancies":[121],"between":[122],"responses.":[126],"Under":[127],"explicit":[128],"assumptions,":[129],"preserves":[132],"validity":[133],"provides":[135],"more":[136],"precise":[137],"at":[142],"lower":[143],"cost":[144],"than":[145],"experiments":[146],"rely":[148],"solely":[149],"participants.":[152],"Yet":[153],"potential":[155],"both":[157],"depends":[159],"how":[161],"well":[162],"LLMs":[163,180],"approximate":[164],"relevant":[166],"populations.":[167],"consider":[169],"what":[170],"opportunities":[171],"overlooked":[173],"researchers":[175],"focus":[176],"myopically":[177],"substituting":[179],"a":[185],"study.":[186]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-02-19T06:31:58.851227","created_date":"2026-02-19T00:00:00"}