Introduction to Sociology

THINK IT OVER

• 
  Do the findings in the Pager, Western & Bonikowski field experiment surprise you? Why or why not? In what ways can studies about discrimination inform public policy? 
  
• 
  What kinds of ethical issues are present in Heussenstamm’s experiment? Were some students at greater risk than others? How do you think the experiences of each group (black, white, and Latino) differed? Do you think gender would influence the interaction between student and police officer? 
  
• 
  Imagine your sociology professor asked you to place a “Black Lives Matter” bumper sticker on your vehicle and asked you to sign an informed consent before participating in the study. Would you do it? Why or why not? How does geographic location and personal identity affect one’s experience and potential risk factors? 
  

GLOSSARY

experiment: the testing of a hypothesis under controlled conditions; tests a hypothesis to determine cause and effect relationships

1. 
   Pager, D., Western, B. and B. Bonikowski. 2009. "Discrimination in a Low-Wage Labor Market: A Field Experiment." American Sociological Review. Vol. 74 (October: 777-799). ↵
   

LICENSES AND ATTRIBUTIONS
CC LICENSED CONTENT, SHARED PREVIOUSLY

• 
  Modification, adaptation, and original content. Authored by: Sarah Hoiland for Lumen Learning. Provided by: Lumen Learning. License: CC BY: Attribution
  
• 
  Research Methods. Authored by: OpenStax CNX. Located at: https://cnx.org/contents/AgQDEnLI@11.2:5y6RWnGd@14/Research-Methods. License: CC BY: Attribution. License Terms: Download for free at http://cnx.org/contents/02040312-72c8-441e-a685-20e9333f3e1d@3.49
  
• 
  Additional material on Stanford Prison Experiment. Authored by: William Little. Provided by: BC Campus. Located at: https://opentextbc.ca/introductiontosociology/chapter/chapter2-sociological-research/. License: CC BY: Attribution