Question 1

Despite reservations, most researchers adhere to military and industrial research requirements and priorities because those are the sectors where the most money can be earned.

Accepted Answer

While some researchers may have reservations about military and industrial research, they may still follow the requirements and priorities of these sectors due to the potential for high earnings.

Question 2

Researchers today, especially those practising theoretically-driven research in universities, are insulated from the influences of government and industry.

Accepted Answer

While theoretically-driven research in universities may strive for independence, government and industry funding can still have a significant influence on research agendas, project design, and dissemination of findings. Additionally, partnerships between universities and industry can lead to conflicts of interest and biases in research.

Question 3

Although it is now beyond a reasonable scientific doubt that that global warming is a real phenomenon, and that it has begun to cause real harm, it is only in the projected near future that scientists think it will be responsible for human deaths on any significant scale.

Accepted Answer

Global warming has already been linked to human deaths on a significant scale, through extreme weather events, heatwaves, and impacts on food and water resources, among other factors.

Question 4

At the beginning of the twentieth century, Edison's "invention factory" made evident the fact that scientific and engineering genius usually operates in isolation of any social supports or influences.

Accepted Answer

Edison's "invention factory" actually employed a large team of researchers and engineers who worked collaboratively to develop new ideas and products, emphasizing the importance of teamwork and social networks in innovation.

Question 5

It is developing countries rather than rich countries that do most of the world's environmental damage because their inhabitants have neither the earnings nor the knowledge to enable them to meet environmental standards.

Accepted Answer

Many rich countries contribute significantly to environmental damage through high levels of consumption and waste, industrial activities, and carbon emissions. Developing countries often have lower per capita environmental impacts, and the statement overlooks the role of wealthier nations in outsourcing pollution and resource extraction to poorer regions.

Question 6

German sociologist Ulrich Beck created the term risk society to describe how the use of technology in modern society distributes danger to all categories of the population.

Accepted Answer

German sociologist Ulrich Beck did create the term risk society to describe the distribution of danger in modern society through the use of technology.

Question 7

Environmental problems are socially defined and socially distributed.

Accepted Answer

Environmental problems are not objective facts but are shaped by social and cultural values, beliefs, and practices. They are also not equally experienced by all members of society, as they are often disproportionately affecting marginalized and vulnerable groups.

Question 8

According to sociologists, people control technology as much as technology transforms people.

Accepted Answer

Sociologists recognize that people are not passive recipients of technological change, but actively shape and adapt technology to fit their needs and values. Therefore, people have some level of control over technology, even as it continues to transform society.

Question 9

What did the Russian geographer and naturalist Petr Kropotkin conclude from his five-year study of animal life in Siberia was at least as important a survival strategy as competition?

Accepted Answer

Kropotkin concluded that mutual aid, or cooperation among individuals, was at least as important a survival strategy as competition in animal life.

Question 10

Examples of environmental racism are evident in Port Radium, N.W.T. and Sydney, N.S.

Accepted Answer

Both Port Radium, N.W.T. and Sydney, N.S. have experienced instances of environmental racism, with Indigenous and poor communities being disproportionately impacted by pollution and toxic waste. In Port Radium, the Dene community was exposed to radiation from uranium mining, while in Sydney, the Black and Mi'kmaq communities were affected by toxic emissions from a steel plant.

Question 11

According to Charles Perrow, a normal accident is an accident that occurs because of the inevitability of human error.

Accepted Answer

According to Charles Perrow, a normal accident is an accident that occurs due to the complexity and interdependence of technological systems, rather than solely as a result of human error.

Question 12

Most technological innovations did not become engines of economic growth until social conditions allowed them to do so.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. Technological innovations by themselves do not guarantee economic growth. It is often the social, political, and economic conditions that enable or hinder the adoption and diffusion of innovations that determine their impact on economic growth. Factors such as education, infrastructure, market competition, and government policies play important roles in facilitating or impeding the transformative potential of technological innovations.

Question 13

Which of the following was most relevant to the globalization of social movements?

Accepted Answer

New technologies in transportation and communication, such as the internet and social media, have made it easier for social movements to connect and collaborate on a global scale. This has played a significant role in the globalization of social movements. The other options, such as the influence of old social movements or modernization theories, may have influenced social movements in various ways but were not as directly relevant to their globalization. Write-in campaigns may have had some impact, but they are not as significant as the technological advances that have helped connect people across borders.

Question 14

Exposure to technological risks is distributed equally throughout the world.

Accepted Answer

Exposure to technological risks is not distributed equally throughout the world. Factors such as economic development, infrastructure, and government regulations play a significant role in shaping the level and distribution of technological risks in different regions of the world. Developed countries may have better safety standards, regulations and resources to prevent and mitigate technological accidents, while developing countries may have fewer safeguards in place. Additionally, the impacts of technological risks, such as environmental pollution, may disproportionately affect marginalized or vulnerable communities within a region or country.

Question 15

Charles Darwin is widely regarded as one of the most influential scientists in history. Perhaps his most widely known contribution to science is his view on the survival strategies that members of species have adopted in their struggle for survival. One of these is competition for scarce resources. Which of the following is the other strategy discussed by Darwin?

Accepted Answer

The other survival strategy discussed by Darwin is cooperation, where individuals of a species work together to better their chances of survival.

Question 16

Global warming threatens everyone, but the degree to which it is perceived as threatening depends on the social organizations defining it as a social issue.

Accepted Answer

Social organizations and institutions play a significant role in shaping public perception and action on issues like global warming. Different social groups may view global warming as a more or less urgent concern, depending on their values, interests, and levels of awareness about the problem. Thus, global warming can be seen as a social issue that is constructed and mediated by various actors and stakeholders in society.

Question 17

The dropping of the first atomic bomb was a turning point in the public's esteem, even awe, of technology: the potential of negative outcomes became apparent.

Accepted Answer

The dropping of the first atomic bomb showed the destructive power of technology and raised concerns about its potential negative outcomes. This led to a shift in public perception towards a more cautious approach to technological advancements.

Question 18

Sociologists reserve the use of the expression normal accident for errors arising from the unpredicted but inevitable failure of highly complex technologies.

Accepted Answer

This is the definition of normal accident theory as coined by sociologist Charles Perrow in his book "Normal Accidents: Living with High-Risk Technologies".

Question 19

Since the Industrial Revolution, the burning of fossil fuels has increased dramatically. The resultant accumulation of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere allows more solar radiation to enter the atmosphere and less heat to escape-a process that contributes to global warming.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. The burning of fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide, which is a greenhouse gas that traps heat in the atmosphere and contributes to global warming. This has been happening since the Industrial Revolution, when the use of fossil fuels like coal and oil became widespread.

Question 20

The idea that machines invented by people will seek to destroy their inventors, made popular in a number of television programs and films, is a recent concern.

Accepted Answer

This statement is false. The idea of machines seeking to destroy their creators dates back to ancient Greek mythology and has been a recurring theme in science fiction for over a century.

Quiz 13: Technology, the Environment, and Social Movements