Social acceptance of genetic engineering technology

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Biotechnology
• Social Science

Background:

• Public acceptance of animal genetic engineering (GE) is crucial for societal applications but remains unclear.
• Previous research indicates that information source, terminology (e.g., genome editing vs. genetic modification), and application type influence acceptance.
• Understanding public perception is vital for the responsible development and deployment of GE technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the social acceptance of genetic engineering (GE) in farm animals.
• To analyze the influence of information source, terminology, and application type on GE acceptance.
• To examine the role of causal trust and acceptability models in understanding public perception of GE.

Main Methods:

• Conducted three mixed-method surveys employing a causal trust-acceptability model.
• Utilized structural equation modeling to confirm model fit across surveys.
• Analyzed participant understanding and terminology used for DNA-altering technologies.

Main Results:

• Perceived benefits consistently had the greatest impact on acceptance across all surveys.
• Social trust indirectly influenced acceptance via perceived benefits and risks.
• Information source and terminology showed minimal effect on acceptance; animal applications were perceived as less beneficial than plant applications.

Conclusions:

• Perceived benefits are the primary driver of public acceptance for animal genetic engineering.
• Trust in actors and technologies, alongside a weighing of benefits and risks, informs acceptability judgments.
• Future research should focus on context-specific acceptability measures for animal GE and employ inductive frameworks.