Deck 17: Science,the Environment,and Society

Question 1

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

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Because sociologists study people,they tend to study data out in the field using real-world settings.Natural scientists more often:

A) prefer working with animals and not people.
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.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Thomas Kuhn referred to normal science as science conducted within an existing paradigm.Which of the following is an example of normal science?

A) Charles Darwin proposing the theory of evolution
B) discovering evidence that turns existing ways of thinking completely around
C) Copernicus's sun-centered system replacing the Ptolemaic earth-centered model
D) discovering an effective treatment for AIDS,using the biomedical view of disease

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Along with most ancient Greek philosophers,Ptolemy believed that the earth was at the center of the universe.Against this ancient and long-lasting tradition,Copernicus asserted the notion that the sun was at the center of the solar system.Thomas Kuhn would call this an example of:

A) a paradigm shift,as it challenged the existing paradigm of the day.
B) how normative science triumphs over biased science.
C) a normal scientific discovery,because it gathered new and useful information.
D) the power of facts to correct errors.

Question 5

Two scientists argue at a conference about human origins.Dr.Leo argues that the journal Nature portrays legitimate science with its article on African origins.Dr.Wertz argues that the Creation Museum in Petersburg,KY,portrays the real facts of human history.In response,Dr.Leo says that the Creation Museum "facts" aren't facts at all.This debate portrays scientists engaged in:

A) a paradigm shift.
B) normal science.
C) boundary work.
D) personal conflict.

Question 6

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 7

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 8

A sociologist and an environmental scientist are each interested in global climate change.The sociologist prioritizes human choices that influence climate.The environmental scientist finds biological factors that influence climate.When the sociologist and environmental scientist dialogue,they may find that their apparent disagreement is actually due to the fact that:

A) the environmental scientist is expert in this topic,and the sociologist is not.
B) the topic is so global and large that agreement among experts cannot be expected.
C) social factors influence sociology much more than they influence environmental science.
D) they are working through different frameworks.

Question 9

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

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

Question 10

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 11

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.

Question 12

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

Question 13

Often nonscientists-such as politicians-make decisions that affect the course of science.Which of the following is an example of this?

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 14

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.

Question 15

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

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

Question 16

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

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

Question 17

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 18

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 19

When anthropologists Bruno Latour and Steve Woolgar observed Jonas Salk in his lab,they observed that some research findings receive more attention than others within the scientific community.They attributed this to:

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

Question 20

When a scientific paradigm shifts,this indicates that:

A) scientists revert back to a previous paradigm.
B) the location of prestigious research has shifted from one nation to another.
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 21

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 22

Michael is in a sociology class and the teacher poses a debate: Did Ramses II die of tuberculosis? The class studies the phenomenon of "science wars," and in this war,Michael is on the team that will defend Bruno Latour's view.Michael argues that Ramses II:

A) died of tuberculosis because the remains showed evidence of the disease.
B) could not have died of tuberculosis because the disease had not been discovered at the time of death.
C) died of unknown causes,because archaeological science is not able to identify diseases with certainty.
D) may or may not have died of tuberculosis; it depends on the subjective view of the scientist answering the question.

Question 23

In considering the nature of scientific knowledge,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 24

What is one of the risks genetic modification may pose 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 25

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 26

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 sold only in high-end markets.

Question 27

We face the risk of car accidents because,as a society,we have developed automobile and road technologies and invested in them heavily.Thinking from the perspective of Charles Perrow,we should make choices that might influence the manufactured risk of car accidents in what way?

A) treat them as though they were natural risks
B) plan for a society that does not use oil or automobiles
C) attempt to reduce the prevalence and severity of accidents
D) use criminal justice deterrents to warn people against unsafe driving

Question 28

Al Gore's film An Inconvenient Truth documented the effect of ________ on climate temperature.

A) drought
B) human activity
C) hurricanes
D) evolution

Question 29

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 30

Which of the following is something scientists predict will result from a continued rise in global temperatures?

A) decreased number of hurricanes
B) improved agricultural production
C) decreases in tropical diseases
D) migration from coastal communities

Question 31

In Ulrich 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 32

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 33

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

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

Question 34

Which of the following is one of the benefits of genetically modified organisms (GMOs)?

A) more popular
B) health benefits to humans
C) more nutritious products
D) better ability to resist insects

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

James Paris and Emily Hoffman work together to develop new knowledge in physics.Hoffman is a well-established scholar with a strong reputation,and Paris is a little-known scholar.Over time,their physics discovery becomes known as the Hoffman Arc.Paris's contribution goes unacknowledged.This dynamic is common,and sociologists call it:

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

Question 37

Farmers who are thinking about future generations have committed to several issues.Which of the following is one of the issues mentioned in your text?

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

Question 38

The Matthew effect is essentially like:

A) getting promoted because of who you are,not on the basis of merit.
B) birds of a feather flock together.
C) science as a whole benefiting from each individual's success.
D) rejection during a lover's spat.

Question 39

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

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

Question 40

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) The guidelines for what constitutes an organic farm have not been established.

Question 41

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 disown you.

Question 42

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

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

Question 43

With use of a specific example from the Chapteror from the real world,explain this sociological paradox: Society invents technologies to minimize dangers from nature,but those same inventions create new risks that need to be managed.

Question 44

Which of the following is one of the concerns mentioned by your textbook that has come about from the Human Genome Project?

A) sexism
B) social paranoia
C) privacy
D) elimination of Alzheimer's disease

Question 45

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) create a new kind of wheat.
D) help farmers diversify their crops.

Question 46

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 47

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.Émile Durkheim might call this a type of:

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

Question 48

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

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

Question 49

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 50

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 51

A hypothetical nation decides to make population policy based on the fictional film Gattaca.After watching this film,policy makers would most likely decide to:

A) invest in genetically modified foods.
B) try to develop their own green revolution.
C) perform genetic testing at birth and select the best for survival.
D) rediscover the efficiency and safety of natural living.

Question 52

Which of the following is a potential problem with high-yield crops?

A) higher price of food
B) the financial burden on farms,making agriculture financially unsustainable
C) irrigated water being collected as a free resource by wasteful and lazy free riders
D) increased water usage

Question 53

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 54

How does genetic testing relate to race?

A) Genetic testing is not used to test for race because a person's race is obvious.
B) Genetic testing can easily reveal a person's true race and ethnicity.
C) Definitive genetic markers for race do not exist.
D) Genetic testing can easily reveal a person's maternal,but not paternal,heritage.

Question 55

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 56

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 57

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 58

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 59

Describe the intersection between science and politics.How do they influence each other? In your answer,use one example.

Question 60

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

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

Question 61

Ingo Potrykus's genetically modified golden rice,bolstered with vitamin A,may prevent health problems for millions of poor children.Nonetheless,this rice is considered controversial.In what ways does,or might,the invention of golden rice illustrate the sociological paradox of this chapter: Society invents technologies to minimize dangers from nature,but those same inventions create new risks that need to be managed? Describe how golden rice is designed to solve a problem.Describe how it could create new risks.

Question 62

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

Question 63

How do organic products influence social status both for the individual consumer and for the farms that produce them? What are some advantages and disadvantages of producing organic food on large farms (or megafarms)?

Question 64

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.

Question 65

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

Question 66

You are studying global warming from a sociological perspective.List and describe three important issues you would investigate.