arXiv · 2609.30030
Artificial Societies Benchmark: A Validation Framework for Synthetic Research
Abstract
A synthetic survey can reproduce the average answer while misrepresenting how people differ, how their answers relate to one another, or how they respond to changes in conditions. We introduce the Artificial Societies Benchmark to help researchers assess whether synthetic populations support their intended analyses. The framework combines eleven tests across internal, construct, and external validity, drawing on twenty human sources and comparing nine language models. It connects each research use to the evidence it requires and tests how results change with the information we supply about respondents. Importantly, strong performance in one domain does not establish fidelity in the others. Models often answer too consistently, compress response scales, and alter relationships between traits whilst richer profiles improve prediction for some models and worsen it for others. The resulting scorecard helps researchers identify which aspects of a synthetic population can support their analysis and where researchers need further human evidence.
Explore related subjects
Keep this discovery
Explore connections, maps & timelines
Edoardo Chidichimo, Min Jun Jung, Felix P. S. Wallis, James K. He. 2026-09-24. Artificial Societies Benchmark: A Validation Framework for Synthetic Research. https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.30030
Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.