Public opposition to genetic engineering

    Collection:
    Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
    Contributers:
    Czaja, Ronald (author), Hoban, Thomas (author), Woodrum, Eric (author), and Department of Sociology and Anthropology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
    Format:
    Journal article
    Publication Date:
    1992
    Published:
    USA: Rural Sociological Society
    Location:
    Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 91 Document Number: C06663
    Journal Title:
    Rural Sociology
    Journal Title Details:
    57 (4) : 476-495
    Subject Term:
    attitudes, biotechnology, consumer attitudes, consumers, food, food safety, opinion, production techniques, public attitude, and genetic engineering
    Notes:
    biotechnology, James F. Evans Collection, The extent and sources of public opposition to the use of genetic engineering in agricultural production are examined through data from telephone interviews with 220 farmers and 332 nonfarmers living in eight North Carolina counties. A model suggesting that public opposition to genetic engineering is influenced by demographic characteristics mediated by three intervening variables (awareness of genetic engineering, faith in government and industry, and moral objection to genetic engineering) is analyzed. Moral objection is the strongest predictor of opposition. Opposition is also related to lower awareness and less faith in institutions. Women are more likely to oppose genetic engineering than men. Implications of findings are noted. (original)

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