A Practical Guide to PsycSim: Simulating Pilot Studies with AI for Experimental Research

Pilot studies are critical in psychological research, yet they remain costly, time-consuming, and vulnerable to data quality issues that can undermine validity. In this paper, we introduce PsycSim, a web-based platform that leverages Large Language Models (LLMs) to simulate studies by designing procedural steps, defining measures to evaluate responses, and generating synthetic participants. The platform allows researchers to conduct pilot studies and rapidly test different designs, manipulations