Learning Objectives

  1. What is probabilistic causality? What are the components of causal relationships?
  2. What are the main features of treatment and control groups in experimental design?
  3. What strategies do sociologists use to measure the effect of a treatment on an outcome?
  4. In what ways is experimental design good for determining causal relationships but potentially problematic for generalizability?
  5. How do sociologists use the ideas of treatment groups and control groups outside of laboratory settings?