Affiliation:
1. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA
Abstract
The formation of public perceptions of science is a very complex and problematic process, but a major factor is the information that is available and presented most frequently to the public. Issues of public concern over agricultural and environmental biotechnology were identified from opinion surveys, the popular press and technical/regulatory sources. A frequency index based on content analysis was used to rank issues within categories of genetically engineered foods, plants, animals and microorganisms; and the social/legal, risk assessment/regulation, science education and international aspects. These issues were compared to those similarly identified from scientific/regulatory sources. Results revealed that the scientific/regulatory communities have dealt primarily with one subset of issues (research oriented), while the public is largely concerned with a different subset (issues of ethics, safety and value). This paper describes each issue in detail, and the implications of the two subsets of issues are briefly discussed.
Subject
Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous),Developmental and Educational Psychology,Communication
Cited by
23 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献