Aversion preceding rejection: results of the Eurobarometer Survey 39.1 on biotechnology and genetic engineering in Austria

10.1525/9780520341159

10.1525/9780520341159

Zechendorf, B., 1994, Bio/Technology, 12, 870

overview in Pfenning, U., Urban, D., and Weiss, V., 1995, Handbuch zur empirischen Erhebung von Einstellungen/Kognitionen zur Bio-und Gentechnologie. Schriftenreihe des Instituts für Sozialforschung der Universität Stuttgart No. 4/95, (SISS: Stuttgart).

Marlier, E., 1992, Biotechnology in Public: a Review of Recent Research, 52

Marlier, E., 1993, Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, What Europeans Think about it in 1993

In addition to the results from all EU countries, results are also available from Norway, where the same survey was carried out in October 1993: see Nielsen, T. H., 1997, Biotechnologie im Lande Andersrum. Biotechnologie in der Öffentlichkeit—von der Risikodiskussion zur Technikgestaltung, edited by H. Torgersen (Vienna: ITA/OeAW).

In Austria, only one study that was carried out in 1991 is available, and it is not comparable with the Eurobarometer surveys: Edition Zeitthema, 1992, Wissenschaft ja, aber. Umfrage zur Gentechnologie. Edition Zeitthema, 1, 10-14.

Seifert, F., and Torgersen, H., 1996, Die Bewertung der Bio- und Gentechnologie, Österreich im EU-Vergleich, Sozialwissenschaftliche Rundschau, 3, pp 47-72. The survey was carried out by a professional survey institute based in Linz, Austria.

In Denmark and the Netherlands, the risk perception is also high, but the support is average. In 1991, Denmark was among the countries with the lowest support; however, there the levels of support increased between 1991 and 1993, although the risk perception remained high. It is worth mentioning that in both Denmark and the Netherlands public discussion was promoted by means of participatory procedures.

10.1088/0963-6625/4/1/004

There is a high negative correlation between the percentage of `don't know' answers in the evaluation questions and technical knowledge in the nationally aggregated data for the EU. Countries in which many people replied with `don't know' also show a lower level of knowledge. Even within the Austrian sample, such a correlation can be found.

Gaskell, G., conference `Biotechnology in European Society,' The Hague

Edition Zeitthema, 1992, Wissenschaft ja, aber. Umfrage zur Gentechnologie, Heft, 1/92, 10-14.

Mikl, M., 1996, Science and Public Policy, 23, 195

Schillhab, J., 1996, Gensorgen, representative survey

Karmasin, H., 1996, Einstellungen zur Gentechnologie (Vienna: Institut für Motivforschung).

Douglas, M., 1982, Risk and Culture

See also Nielsen, who attributes acceptance of medical applications to a higher `marginal benefit': Nielsen, T. H., 1997, Biotechnologie im Lande Andersrum. Biotechnologie in der Öffentlichkeit—von der Risikodiskussion zur Technikgestaltung, edited by H. Torgersen (Vienna: ITA/OeAW).

This is supported by our finding that Austrians rated highly the `traditional' methods of agriculture and animal breeding (data not shown).

Torgersen, H., 1996, Die regulierte Gentechnik. Technikfolgen-Abschätzung in Österreich, edited by G. Tichy (Vienna: ITA).

Nielsen, T. H., 1997, Biotechnologie im Lande Andersrum. Biotechnologie in der Öffentlichkeit—von der Risikodiskussion zur Technikgestaltung, edited by H. Torgersen (Vienna: ITA/OeAW).

Felt, U., 1994, When Science Becomes Culture

Gottweis, H., and Latzer, M., 1992, Technologiepolitik. Handbuch des politischen Systems Österreichs (2nd edn) (Vienna: Manz).