9.1 How Many People Would Use Genetically Engineered
Products?
9.2 Patterns of Use
9.3 Who Would Use Genetically Engineered Products?
9.4 Summary: Use of Genetically Modified Products
Most people would like to try eating genetically engineered tomatoes: 17% definitely yes and 44% probably yes. Some 16% are undecided, 17% think probably not and 7% definitely not. So in all, a majority of Australians would eat them, 61% yes, 16% are undecided, and 24% would not. A plurality of Canadians would also eat them (44% yes, 22% undecided, 32% no: Optima 1994: 15).
The public is quite comfortable about wearing clothes made from genetically engineered cotton. 25% would definitely wear them and a further 52% would probably wear them -- in all, an overwhelming majority. 18% have mixed feelings. Only 4% would probably not wear them and 1% definitely not. This gives a mean approval score of 74 points out of 100.
Most people would eat genetically engineered lean pork. 14% definitely would and 42% probably would, in all a modest majority. 22% are undecided and 14% probably would not eat it and 6% definitely not eat it (a few of these may be people who don't eat any kind of pork). In all, this gives genetically engineered pork 61 points out of 100.
The public is pretty comfortable with genetically engineered cooking oil or margarine. 18% would definitely use it and 48% probably would, in all a strong majority. 22% are undecided, 9% would probably not use it, and 3% would definitely not use it.
[Definition] Use of Genetically Engineered Food = mean( Eat G-E pork, use G-E cooking oil )
[Definition] Use Genetically Engineered Cotton = Single item: Wear clothes from G-E cotton )
Knowledge matters: those who know more about genetic engineering are substantially more likely to be willing to eat genetically engineered foods (beta=.12).
Holding a scientific world-view also makes one more likely to eat genetically modified foods (beta=.12).
People who are worried about the risks of genetically engineered products are much less likely to be willing to use them themselves (beta=-.27). Those who worry about fluorides in the drinking water are also dubious about genetically engineered food (beta=-.13.
Finally, those who support scientific research on agriculture in general are themselves more willing to eat genetically engineered foods (beta=.29).
Knowledge and a scientific world-view are conducive to using genetically engineered cotton.
People who are worried about the risks of genetically engineered products are somewhat less keen on genetically engineered cotton (beta=-.-19), as are those who worry about fluorides in the drinking water (beta=-.11).
Finally, people who support scientific research on agriculture in general are a little keener on genetically engineered cotton (beta=.14), as are those keen on medical research (beta=.09).
Most willing to use genetically engineered products are those who generally support scientific research on agriculture, those less worried about the risks of genetic engineering, those more knowledgeable about it, and those who have a scientific rather than religious world-view.