Deck 17: Science, the Environment, and Society

Question 1

If a sociologist is trying to determine why poverty rates are higher in the inner city,he or she might look at the lack of jobs in the area.If a psychologist is looking at the same thing,he or she may look more at levels of depression in the residents of an inner city.This difference is often called:

A) a scientific revolution.
B) the green revolution.
C) a paradigm shift.
D) boundary work.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

According to your text,the decision to develop atomic weapons during World War II was influenced by:

A) physicists.
B) international geopolitical circumstances.
C) the desire to control the world.
D) fear of global extinction.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

According to the normative view of science,what should scientists leave at the laboratory door?

A) life stresses
B) personal values
C) social structures
D) historical forces

Answer 3

B

Question 4

In 1942,the research project that focused on developing atomic weapons for the United States was code-named the ____________ Project.

A) Manhattan
B) Oppenheimer
C) Groves
D) World War II

Question 5

Sociologists of science are interested in the ____________ of scientific discoveries.

A) gender relationships
B) environmental effects
C) social consequences
D) biological background

Question 6

Thomas Kuhn referred to normal science as science that's conducted within an existing paradigm.All of the following are examples of normal science EXCEPT:

A) learning additional (or new) information about an existing scientific discovery.
B) gathering evidence to lend stronger support to an existing theory.
C) clarifying pieces of an existing paradigm.
D) discovering evidence that turns existing ways of thinking completely around.

Question 7

Often nonscientists-such as politicians-make decisions that affect the course of science.Which of the following is mentioned in your text?

A) President Bush and stem cell research
B) President Clinton and same-sex marriage
C) President Nixon and natural versus medicated childbirth
D) President Kennedy and left versus right brain differences

Question 8

Sociologically speaking,the BRCA1 gene mutation is a good example of:

A) why it is important to find a cancer-causing gene.
B) how genes can be used to predict human behavior.
C) how scientific innovations and technology improve society.
D) how the effects of genes are subject to change because of social practices.

Question 9

When a scientific paradigm shifts,this means that:

A) scientists revert back to a previous paradigm.
B) research is being conducted in a new country.
C) scientists have come to a standstill on their discoveries of a particular topic.
D) scientific anomalies have amassed to a level that challenges the validity of an existing paradigm.

Question 10

Ethnographic research:

A) is field research.
B) involves researcher participation.
C) is done by observation.
D) all of the above.

Question 11

In the Dover,Pennsylvania,school district,what theory was presented as an alternate to Darwin's theory of natural selection?

A) evolution
B) the Bible
C) intelligent design
D) survival of the fittest

Question 12

Ptolemy,as was common with most Ancient Greek philosophers,believed that the earth was at the center of the universe.It was not until Copernicus that the idea that the sun was at the center of the solar system emerged.Kuhn would call this an example of:

A) a paradigm shift, as it challenged the existing paradigm of the day.
B) the research process in all of its splendor and glory.
C) a normal scientific discovery, because it gathered new and useful information.
D) the way science ought to be conducted.

Question 13

Which of the following is NOT cited in your text as a factor that influences researchers to choose a particular area of study?

A) the university where the researcher studied
B) interest in the topic
C) available funding
D) politics

Question 14

Researchers in different fields may study the same issue but have different answers because:

A) they are in opposition to each other.
B) some are not working in legitimate scientific disciplines.
C) boundary work limits their research.
D) they are working through different frameworks.

Question 15

Normal science:

A) exists only in laboratories.
B) is conducted within an existing paradigm.
C) attempts to create nonexistent paradigms.
D) means that scientists operate outside the laboratory.

Question 16

According to Kuhn,what is the factor responsible for important scientific advancements?

A) normal science
B) scientific revolutions
C) political-social factors
D) scientific theory

Question 17

Because sociologists study people,they tend to study data out in the field using real-world settings,while natural scientists tend to:

A) prefer working with animals.
B) extract data from the natural world and bring it into the laboratory for study.
C) prefer natural settings, leaving social scientists to deal with the laboratory.
D) enjoy the sterile and easily manipulated environment of human social life.

Question 18

Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a factor that can influence science and scientists?

A) the researcher's values and interest
B) moral and religious beliefs
C) economic, political, and social factors
D) the researcher's personality

Question 19

According to your text,very few scientists disagree with:

A) intelligent design theory.
B) Darwin's natural selection theory.
C) biological differences in IQ.
D) clear-cut racial divides with regard to genetics.

Question 20

A sociologist,biologist,and psychologist are studying the causes and consequences of obesity.Their results:

A) may be complementary or conflicting.
B) will not be applicable to other fields of study.
C) will all be completely different.
D) will need to be examined independently of each other.

Question 21

According to scientists,what is the number-one contributor to rising global temperatures?

A) deforestation
B) CO2 emissions
C) drought
D) alteration in rainfall patterns

Question 22

Compared to organic megafarms,why are small organic farms at a disadvantage?

A) The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will not certify small farms.
B) It is too costly to truck their produce across the country.
C) Maintaining USDA certification is expensive.
D) It is too difficult to grow organic food.

Question 23

Al Gore's film An Inconvenient Truth documented the effect of what on climate temperature?

A) global warming
B) human activity
C) hurricanes
D) evolution

Question 24

The Matthew effect is essentially like:

A) getting promoted because of who you are and not based on your achievements.
B) birds of a feather flock together.
C) the blind leading the blind.
D) rejection during a lover's spat.

Question 25

Sociologists who study scientists in the laboratory do so typically because they:

A) want to be sure their findings are valid.
B) want to reinforce their research results.
C) are interested in how scientific facts are socially constructed.
D) are interested in discovering the Theory of Everything.

Question 26

Which of the following is NOT something scientists predict will result from a continued rise in global temperatures?

A) heat waves
B) change in agricultural production
C) migration from coastal communities
D) decreases in tropical diseases

Question 27

One of the major reasons farmers genetically modify their produce is so they:

A) produce higher yields.
B) don't have to get up as early in the morning to plant.
C) don't have to handpick their crops.
D) can increase the price they charge for their crops.

Question 28

Farmers who are thinking about future generations have committed to several issues.Which of the following is NOT one of the issues mentioned in your text?

A) renewable resources
B) using environmentally friendly tractors
C) conservation of soil
D) saving energy

Question 29

What did Latour and Woolgar suggest may influence which research findings receive the most attention?

A) the race of the researchers
B) power struggles within the lab hierarchy
C) political agendas
D) the source of the research funding

Question 30

One scientist hoped to solve health and nutritional problems for children in developing countries by the genetic modification of rice with:

A) better pest resistance.
B) massive crop yields to feed them.
C) high levels of vitamin A.
D) low toxic pesticides.

Question 31

One global warming prediction is that as ocean levels rise:

A) many more people will move away from the coast.
B) more people will move to the coast.
C) more people will leave the mountains.
D) more people will move to the suburbs.

Question 32

The term used to describe how a well-known scientist is more likely to be credited with a particular scientific discovery than lesser-known colleagues is:

A) the hierarchy rule.
B) prestige seniority.
C) science wars.
D) the Matthew effect.

Question 33

In opposition to the sociology of science researcher Bruno Latour,many scientists assert that ____________ are not made but rather preexist in objective reality waiting to be discovered.

A) theories
B) diseases
C) scientific facts
D) scientific discoveries

Question 34

Which of the following is NOT one of the benefits of genetically modified organisms (GMOs)?

A) more profitability
B) lower food prices
C) better ability to resist insects
D) more nutritious products

Question 35

Sometimes meat and poultry aren't labeled organic even though they come from free-range animals raised without growth hormones or antibiotics.This is because:

A) small farmers are moving into cities and leaving their organic farms behind.
B) the guidelines as to what is an organic farm have not yet been established by the government.
C) maintaining an organic farm with U.S. Department of Agriculture certification is expensive; many farmers can't comply because of this.
D) it is difficult to keep cattle and chickens fenced in; therefore, they could be contaminated by other animals.

Question 36

Genetic modifications reduce waste in all these ways EXCEPT:

A) keeping produce in stores fresher.
B) keeping produce ripe longer.
C) decreasing plant maturation time.
D) all of the above are true.

Question 37

Philosopher Ian Hacking suggests that:

A) there is something legitimate in both social constructivism and scientific truth.
B) cultural norms and social situations have little influence on scientific discoveries.
C) scientific facts are created, not discovered.
D) claims undermining the purity of scientific pursuit weaken scientific claims to truth.

Question 38

Which of the following is NOT on the checklist that government inspectors use when certifying organic farms?

A) pesticide-free soils
B) synthetic fertilizers
C) percentage of organic ingredients
D) storage of organic products

Question 39

Organic products can lead to health stratification by income because:

A) land is needed to grow organic products.
B) organic products are more expensive.
C) organic products aren't sold in poor neighborhoods.
D) organic products are only sold in high-end markets.

Question 40

Debates over whether scientific facts are discovered or socially constructed are referred to as:

A) research objectives.
B) research claims.
C) scientific debates.
D) science wars.

Question 41

Since the late 1990s,a large portion of Asia has been:

A) farming a mix of crops.
B) dependent on rain to feed crops.
C) using nontoxic pesticides.
D) using high-yield rice seeds.

Question 42

Risks that result from human activity are referred to as ____________ risks.

A) human
B) manufactured
C) personal
D) modern

Question 43

What are some of the unintended social consequences that have emerged from the Human Genome Project?

A) who should have access to this information (privacy)
B) the potential consequences that could arise from having (or not having) a particular genetic code (stigmatization)
C) knowledge of our genetic structure may increase inequality in society (stratification)
D) the psychological effects of gene testing that might arise

Question 44

Which of the following is NOT a potential problem with high-yield crops?

A) sacrifice of micronutrients
B) greater susceptibility to disease
C) increased water usage
D) irrigated water being collected as a free resource by wasteful and lazy free riders

Question 45

Some gays and lesbians may be in favor of finding a so-called gay gene,because many in the gay community believe that:

A) they can all move to one area of the country and know who is who.
B) the controversy will move from a moral choice to a biological characteristic, so discrimination may decrease.
C) it will allow them to become heterosexual.
D) they will then be allowed to abort their children if they have this gene.

Question 46

In Beck's description of risk society,a tornado is an example of what type of risk?

A) regional
B) external
C) environmental
D) social

Question 47

Vandana Shiva agrees that the green revolution has increased agricultural output and household incomes,but she is concerned about the:

A) impact these changes will have on marriage rates.
B) impact these changes will have on population growth.
C) short- and long-term psychological costs of these changes.
D) cultural, economic, and environmental costs of such changes.

Question 48

What is one of the risks genetic modification may have to the environment?

A) permanent damage to the soil
B) severe damage to other vegetation
C) an ecological chain reaction
D) contribution to global warming

Question 49

According to the controversial twin study,there is a genetic link to:

A) homosexuality.
B) personal characteristics.
C) biological diseases.
D) psychotropic use.

Question 50

The ____________ study showed how stigmas (e.g.,labels)can become self-fulfilling prophecies.

A) human genome
B) pygmalion
C) twin
D) stigmatization

Question 51

Which of the following is NOT one of the concerns mentioned by your textbook that has come about from the Human Genome Project?

A) privacy
B) stratification
C) social paranoia
D) stigmatization

Question 52

Because of the green revolution,food production has kept pace with:

A) income increases.
B) population growth.
C) technology.
D) changes in skills.

Question 53

One argument against genetically modified foods is that:

A) there will be too much food and a lot will go to waste.
B) there will be a scarcity of foods.
C) they may pose long-term adverse health effects.
D) they are too expensive for most people.

Question 54

Charles Perrow believes that although disasters from manufactured risks are a part of modern life,we can:

A) better plan how to handle disasters.
B) simply rebuild after disasters.
C) attempt to reduce their impact.
D) evacuate people from disaster areas.

Question 55

The green revolution,by increasing new technologies requiring more skills,has resulted in:

A) potentially toxic fertilizers being used incorrectly.
B) increasing the value of formal schooling for women in rural areas.
C) more competition between nations for skilled laborers.
D) increasing population growth in these areas.

Question 56

One of the concerns with the Human Genome Project is that once your genetic structure is known:

A) you may be able to genetically redesign yourself.
B) you may be labeled in such a way that a self-fulfilling prophecy takes place.
C) you may be unable to get dates.
D) your parents may divorce you.

Question 57

It has taken Africa longer to reap the benefits of the green revolution because of Africa's mix of crops and:

A) dependency on rain-fed crops.
B) the hard climate.
C) pesticide-tolerant insects.
D) an uncooperative spirit among the farmers.

Question 58

The green revolution has made it expensive for individual farms to survive on their own,so new collectives and cooperatives have emerged to bring together household farmers.Durkheim might call this a type of:

A) rebellion.
B) social solidarity.
C) genetic manipulation.
D) Verstehen.

Question 59

The introduction of high-yield crop varietals in developing countries and improvements in agricultural technologies are two trends that fall under the umbrella of:

A) the green revolution.
B) GMOs.
C) genetic modifications.
D) ecological interconnectedness.

Question 60

The Cooperative Wheat Research and Production Program (later CIMMYT,the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center)was established in 1945 to:

A) feed children in developing countries.
B) improve Mexico's agricultural output.
C) develop new ways to increase wheat production.
D) help farmers diversify their crops.

Question 61

What are the benefits and risks of genetically modified organisms? Do you think the benefits outweigh the risks?

Question 62

Although the BRCA1 gene mutation is a genetic marker that predicts cancer now,it may not be a marker that predicts cancer in the future.Using your sociological imagination,explain why BRCA1 may not predict breast cancer in the future.

Question 63

Sociologists worry that the Human Genome Project could position people positively or negatively based on their genetic codes and thus lead to greater:

A) stratification in society.
B) stigmatization in society.
C) labeling in society.
D) reproductive sacrifices in society.

Question 64

What are organic foods? How do organic products influence social status both for the individual consumer and for the farms that produce them? What are some ways that large organic farms are NOT "green"?

Question 65

What are the agricultural trends of the green revolution? What have been the positive chain reactions and risks associated with it?

Question 66

Discuss the effects of global warming from a sociological perspective.

Question 67

What are the sociological effects of genetic information related to race?

Question 68

Describe the intersection between science and politics.How do they influence each other?

Question 69

Although the Human Genome Project has increased our understanding of everything from disease to race,it has also raised concerns.Describe a specific example of how this new scientific information could be socially problematic.