Abstract
In this paper, dimensions of the debate surrounding the application of gene technology to food production are discussed and a study assessing perceptions of the technology among a sample of the UK public (n = 1499) is reported. The general picture that emerges from the study is one of people expressing low familiarity with the technology, with more people associating it with high risks than with low risks, and more people expecting it to provide low benefits than high benefits. Attitudes towards different applications vary significantly, as does trust in different potential sources of information about the technology. It is also shown that attitudes can be predicted not only by estimates of risks and benefits but also by perceptions of the involvement of ethical issues, by the perceived need for the technology, and by the perceived likelihood of improvements it is likely to bring to the quality of life in the UK. The results are discussed in the context of the need for greater public information about the technology and the realization that communication of risks takes place within a complex network of societal relationships.
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Additional information
Paul Sparks is a social psychologist at the Institute of Food Research, Reading, UK. He has studied at the Universities of Kent (BA) and Oxford (DPhil). His research interests include attitude theory, social influences on food choice, and social and moral dimensions of attitudes towards food consumption and food production methods.
Richard Shepherd graduated with an MA from Cambridge in Natural Sciences, followed by a B.Sc. from Cardiff in Psychology and a Ph.D. from Southampton in Psychology. He is currently Head of the Food Choice Section of the Consumer Sciences Department. His main current research interests are the application of psychological models of attitude and attitude change to food choice, consumer use of food label information, perception of risks associated with foods, and risk communication.
Lynn Frewer is a psychologist who has studied at the Universities of Bristol (B.Sc.), London (MSc) and Leeds (Ph.D.). Her interests include risk perception and attitudes, the role of the media in the transmission of risk information, and ethical concerns associated with emerging technologies.
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Sparks, P., Shepherd, R. & Frewer, L.J. Gene technology, food production, and public opinion: A UK study. Agric Hum Values 11, 19–28 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01534445
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01534445