THE VALIDITY OF MICRO-EXPERIMENTATION 1

The Validity of Micro-experimentation in the context of

Psychological and Psychiatric Research

Andrew S. Fulkerson
K.L. Poole

Author Notes

Ethics Considerations

The data for this paper was collected via an anonymous online survey directed at a non-
offending experimental group. The data collection software hashed certain identifying
information of the participants into an unreadable form for purposes of validating responses, and
perfect forward privacy was kept, so that the researchers were blind as to identity of the
participants. Informed consent was obtained from each participant before any data collection
occurred. Accordingly, the methodology used was strictly compliant with The Code of Ethics of
the World Medical Association (Declaration of Helsinki) for experiments involving humans and
the Uniform Requirements for manuscripts submitted to Biomedical journals.

Funding and Declaration of Interest

No funding of any kind was necessary to carry out this research. The authors further certify that
they have no conflicts of interest (personal, professional, or otherwise) of any nature to report
with respect to this paper or the conduct of the precipitate research conducted. Study participants
were not compensated in any way for their participation.

Contact Information: All correspondence concerning this paper should be directed to

bakertaylor28@gmail.com.
THE VALIDITY OF MICRO-EXPERIMENTATION 2

Abstract

In this study, a micro-experiment (total number of participants was 12, with 7 in the
experimental group and 5 in the control group) using a modified version of the Hare
Psychopathy Checklist- Revised (PCL-R), was conducted to test the hypothesis that psychopathy
in non-offending male pedophiles was not any more prevalent than in the general population. At
the time of the data collection the researcher was not familiar with the scientific literature on the
subject. After an extensive review of the empirical research on the subject, it was later
discovered that the results of the micro-experiment conducted replicated the results of other peer-
reviewed research which was conducted using standard full-scale experiment models which used
the standard, non-modified version of the PCL-R. The results suggested that the micro-
experimentation model, when carefully subjected to the scientific method, is a viable option to
researchers to conduct preliminary research where full-scale study groups might be difficult to
obtain, as is often the case, inter alia, with pedophilia. While the micro-experiment technique is
not intended to replace standard full-scale research models, it can save time and money by
allowing researchers to determine whether a given hypothesis is extremely likely to be proven,
and in giving the opportunity to allow for changes to the experimental design before launching a
comprehensive full-scale study. More research is needed to determine whether this micro-
experiment technique could be a viable alternative to conducting a full-scale empirical study in
settings involving small experimental populations in the setting of the use of psychometric
testing as the measurement tool of choice in the experimental design.

Keywords: Pedophilia, Psychopathy, Research Models, Research, Micro-experiment, Research

Methodology
THE VALIDITY OF MICRO-EXPERIMENTATION 3

The Validity of Micro-experimentation in the context of

Psychological and Psychiatric Research

Background

The conduct of scientific study with respect to small segments of the population presents

a special challenge. By way of example, since pedophilia has an estimated prevalence of less

than 5% (Ceto, 2009), and thus the opportunity of achieving an available representative sample

on the scale generally required for a standard full-scale study is quite restricted. However, it is

much less problematic to obtain a representative sample of a representative sample. Based upon

our results here, this would not appear to cause a problem with the methodology, given that the

control group is similarly restricted in numbers to remain a representative sample of a

representative sample. The principal researcher, before conducting the micro-experiment,

expected the results of the experiment to indicate that psychopathy is inherent to pedophilia,

given the extreme anti-social construct pedophilia represents; and was surprised by the results

obtained here, and therefore conducted an extensive review of the scientific literature on the

subject matter.

A post-experiment review of the research literature available demonstrated divided

conclusions with respect to whether or not pedophilia is linked to increased rates of psychopathy

as compared to control groups. One line of research has shown evidence that pedophiles

demonstrate increased psychopathy as compared to the general population (e.g. Dorr, et al. 1998,

Firestone, et al. 2000, Dorr et al. 2002). Conversely, other research has shown the opposite, and
THE VALIDITY OF MICRO-EXPERIMENTATION 4

rejected such a hypothesis. (e.g. Serrin, et al. 1994, Porter, et al. 2009, Egan, et al. 2019, Stoll, et

al. 2019).

However, it is neither the purview nor the point of this paper to support one side or the

other of this division. Rather, the central hypothesis was that the micro-experiment conducted in

this study could replicate the apparently proven hypothesis of an entire line of full-scale

empirical research, which was conducted in a manner that passed peer review.

Methodology

The principal researcher administered a modified version of the Hare Psychopathy

Checklist- Revised (PCL-R) to a total of twelve adult male individuals whom were all aged 18 or

older. Individuals under the age of 18 were explicitly banned from the study. The PCL-R was

modified to be truncated to a total of twelve questions. One question, which involved the

tendency to have empathy for others, having been duplicated, but carefully phrased differently in

order to establish an equal opportunity for both groups to demonstrate empathy for others or the

lack thereof. Both study groups were scored on both versions of this question. The 12 questions

were carefully selected to be representative of all of the factors identified within the structure of

the original PCL-R, and the modified version used in the micro-experiment had a minimum

score of 12, and a maximum score of 36. The scoring scheme of the original PCL-R was

retained, although expressed differently. Each item receiving a score on a scale from 1-3 (as

opposed to a range of 0 to 2 in the original PCL-R) and all items then combined to a composite

score, as in the original PCL-R, with higher composite scores indicating greater tendencies of
THE VALIDITY OF MICRO-EXPERIMENTATION 5

psychopathy. The reason for establishing the lowest possible score of 1 per an item, and the

lowest possible composite score of 12, was due to the inability to use “0” due to software

constraints. (This was due to the problem of “0” being interpreted by the server as unintentional

binary code). Notably, the original PCL-R cut-off scores are not applicable here due to the fact

that the entirety of the PCL-R was not used in the micro-experiment. This was due to the fact it

was not the goal of this study to clinically diagnose psychopathy, but rather only to measure the

degree of psychopathic tendency extant in any given participant. Participants were instructed to

answer as honestly as possible, and to answer as applied within the last six months from the time

of the answers. A copy of the modified version of the PCL-R used in this study is attached to this

paper as appendix A.

All study participants were administered the study materials anonymously via the internet

using a server specifically designed for psychology research, with a hashed form of the client

Internet Protocol (IP) address being used to identify study participants for research purposes.

This hashing ensured that while each participant received a unique identifier, that no-one with

access to the research server could determine the identify or location of any of the participants.

The experimental group consisted of seven individuals, and the control group consisted of five

individuals. Neither Age nor Sex was considered in the design or in calculating the results of this

experiment, though only males responded as participants.

Individuals were placed in the experimental group based on having self-reported the

criteria of having recurrent and intense sexual thoughts or sexual fantasies about, or recurrent

sexual urges, towards any individual under the age of 18 years and at least five years younger
THE VALIDITY OF MICRO-EXPERIMENTATION 6

than the study participant. This definition was found to be consistent with the DSM-IV-TR

description of pedophilia. (See DSM-IV-TR 302.2). The DSM-IV-TR criteria were preferred to

the DSM-V due to the fact that the DSM-V was not in place for the majority of the body of the

empirical research concerning the subject matter. Individuals were placed in the control group on

the basis of not having met the defined criteria to be placed within the experimental group, as

determined based on self reporting. Participants were recruited from mainstream social media

sites (e.g. Twitter, Facebook, etc.) and from U.S. constitutionally protected internet bulletin

boards catering to what are commonly known as “virtuous” non-offending pedophiles. (e.g.

virped.org, etc.) The latter sites were carefully evaluated to be within the explicit protection of

the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, as reviewed by an attorney at law, using

both the guidelines promulgated by the Supreme Court of the United States of America, and the

United States Department of Justice.

Data collection spanned a period of 14 months between 2018 and 2019. When computing

mathematical statistics, all numerical values were carried over to the fourth digit to the right of

the decimal, disregarding any additional digits to the right of the decimal. None of the

mathematical values, intermediate or otherwise, were rounded. Incomplete data sets were

removed from the results prior to calculating any numerical statistics. In the event of duplicative

data sets from the same user, only the first data set obtained was used, with the second and

subsequent data sets obtained from the same individual based on IP address hash being removed

in the same fashion as that for incomplete data sets. The study participants were not compensated

in any manner for their participation in the study, both in order to reduce motivation to give

dishonest results, as well as to reduce the motivation to submit multiple data sets.
THE VALIDITY OF MICRO-EXPERIMENTATION 7

Results

The results of the total scores obtained from the study participants, broken down by study

group are reported in Table 1. The overall standard deviation was 2.3273. The maximum

difference of standard deviation among study groups was 0.4896, with a maximum standard

deviation of 2.5872 (occurring in the experimental group) and a minimum standard deviation of

2.0976 (occurring in the control group.)

TABLE 1
MODIFIED HARE PCL-R CHECKLIST SCORES *
(min. score 12 Max Score 36)

STUDY GROUPS
DATA
TYPE COMBINED EXPERMENTAL CONTROL
N= 12 N=7 N=5

STANDARD
DEVIATION 2.3273 2.5872 2.0976

GROUP
AVERAGE 18.9166 18.1428 20.0000
SCORE

14 14 22
19 19 18
22 18 21
18 22 17
INDIVIDUAL 18 15 22
STUDY 22 20
PARTICIANT 21 19
15
COMPOSITE 20
SCORES 17
22
19

*All mathematical calculations in Table 1 were carried over to the fourth decimal place, disregarding any further
additional decimal places to the left of the decimal point. Mathematical figures were not rounded either up nor down.
THE VALIDITY OF MICRO-EXPERIMENTATION 8

Modified PCL-R scores obtained as a result of this study ranged from 14 to 22, with a

minimum possible score of 12 and a maximum possible score of 36. The average modified PCL-

R score for the experimental group was 18.1428 for the experimental group, and 20.0000 for the

control group. The overall average modified PCL-R score for both groups combined, was

18.9166.

Both groups scored highly (defined as item score of x > 2 ) with greatest frequency in

items 3 and 9, noting that the control group scored higher than the experimental group in item 3.

The experimental group demonstrated a 42% prevalence of scoring highly on item 3, as

compared to 80% prevalence for the control group, with a difference of 38%. The experimental

group demonstrated a 42% prevalence of scoring highly on item 9 as compared to 60%

prevalence for the control group, with a difference of 18%. Item 3 concerned the participant’s

tendency toward boredom, where item 9 concerned the notion that sex should not be taken

lightly. The results across the several items relating to empathy (particularly items 8, 11, and 12)

indicated that the control group scored higher with respect to items involving empathy than did

the experimental group. (See Appendix A for a copy of the study items).

Conclusions

The results of this micro-experiment indicated that non-offending pedophiles do not

exhibit any more psychopathy than the general population. To the extent that the micro-

experiment demonstrates less psychopathy in the experimental group, such result was

statistically insignificant. (The difference was a mean composite score difference of 1.8572 ).
THE VALIDITY OF MICRO-EXPERIMENTATION 9

Therefore, the results of this micro-experiment are supported by the findings of other full-scale

research on the subject matter. (Serrin, et al. 1994, Porter, et al. 2009, Egan, et al. 2019, Stoll, et

al. 2019). Therefore, small-scale micro-experiments, when used with due caution and correct

technique, can present a viable adjunct to (and in some instances, an alternative to) traditional

large-scale representative studies.

THE VALIDITY OF MICRO-EXPERIMENTATION 10

Appendix A

l: Sex
t: radio
q: What is your Sex?
- Male
- Female

l: Age
t: radio
q: What is your age bracket?
- 18-30
- 30-49
- 50-60
- 70+

l: group
t: radio
q: In The LAST SIX MONTHS, have you had Recurrent and intense sexual thoughts or sexual fantasies about, or
recurrent sexual urges, towards any individual under the age of 18 years and AT LEAST five years younger than
you?
- Yes
- No

l: Instructions
t: radio
q: TEST INSTRUCTIONS READ CAREFULLY- For the following questions, please select the best answer as best
applies to you within the LAST SIX MONTHS. Please BE as honest as possible, as this data is being used for a
scientific research study.
- Proceed

l: item1
t: radio
q: I Never get tounge-tied.
- 0 Never Applies to me
- 1 Somewhat Applies to me
- 2 Definately Applies me

l: item2
t: radio
q: In important ways, I am superior to most people.
- 0 Never Applies to me
- 1 Somewhat Applies to me
- 2 Definitely Applies me

l: item3
t: radio
q: I am prone to boredom.
THE VALIDITY OF MICRO-EXPERIMENTATION 11

APPENDIX A - CONTINUED

- 0 Never Applies to me
- 1 Somewhat Applies to me
- 2 Definitely Applies me

l: item4
t: radio
q: I engaged in significant amount criminal activity, such as stealing,assaulting others, etc. before the age of 18.
- 0 Never Applies to me
- 1 Somewhat Applies to me
- 2 Definitely Applies me

l: item5
t: radio
q: I frequently overuse or misuse drugs and/or alcohol.
- 0 Never Applies to me
- 1 Somewhat Applies to me
- 2 Definitely Applies me

l: item6
t: radio
q: My romantic relationships tend to fall apart quickly.
- 0 Never Applies to me
- 1 Somewhat Applies to me
- 2 Definitely Applies me

l: item7
t: radio
q: I need to take risks to feel alive.
- 0 Never Applies to me
- 1 Somewhat Applies to me
- 2 Definitely Applies me

l: item8
t: radio
q: Convicted Murders deserve the death penalty, so I DON'T feel bad for them.
- 0 Never Applies to me
- 1 Somewhat Applies to me
- 2 Definitely Applies me

l: item9
t: radio
q: I think sex should NOT be taken lightly.
- 0 Never Applies to me
- 1 Somewhat Applies to me
- 2 Definitely Applies me

l: item10
t: radio
q: I am NEITHER shy or self-conscious, I speak with authority.
- 0 Never Applies to me
- 1 Somewhat Applies to me
- 2 Definitely Applies me

l: item11
THE VALIDITY OF MICRO-EXPERIMENTATION 12

t: radio
q: If people get offended about something I've said or done, then that's their problem.
- 0 Never Applies to me
- 1 Somewhat Applies to me
- 2 Definitely Applies me

l: item12
t: radio
q: Child Molesters deserve to be assaulted in prison. I Don't feel bad for them.
- 0 Never Applies to me
- 1 Somewhat Applies to me
- 2 Definitely Applies me
THE VALIDITY OF MICRO-EXPERIMENTATION 13

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