Experiments
Controlled experiments can be adapted and uniquely useful to test classic sociological concepts. We focus on field and web experiments to examine their application to issues of job discrimination and collective dynamics in a cultural market.
Background readings
Jackson & Cox, 2013, ARS, "The Principles of Experimental Design and Their Application in Sociology"
Optional readings
Mutz, 2011, Ch, "Population based survey experiments"
Pager, 2007, AAPSS, "The use of field experiments for studies of employment discrimination: Contributions, critiques, and directions for the future"
Parigi & al., 2017, SPQ, "Online field experiments: Studying social interactions in context"
Webster & Sell, 2007, Ch, "Laboratory Experiments in the Social Sciences"
Case-studies for reading, presentation and commentary
Pager & al., 2009, ASR, “Discrimination in a low-wage labor market: A field experiment” [PRES]
Salganik & Watts, 2009, CS, “Web Based Experiments for the Study of Collective Social Dynamics in Cultural Markets” [PRES]
Commentaries: 1, 2, 3
Case-studies for written reviews
Foy & al., 2017, Socius, “The shade of a criminal record: Colorism, incarceration, and external racial classification” [REV]
Legewie, 2013, AJS, “Terrorist events and attitudes toward immigrants. A natural experiment” [REV]
Ridgeway & al., 2009, ASR, ”How easily does a social difference become a status distinction: Gender matters” [REV]
Robbins, 2016, Socius, “When social constraints increase trust: Considering causal attributions as a source of treatment effect heterogeneity”