Are science festivals a good place to discuss heated topics?

Public acceptance of vaccination and Genetically Modified (GM) food is low and opposition is stiff. During two science festivals in France, we discussed in small groups the scientific evidence and current consensus on the benefits of vaccination and GM food safety. Our interventions reinforced people's positive opinions on vaccination and produced a drastic positive shift of GM food opinions. Despite the controversial nature of the topics discussed, there were very few cases of backfire effects among the 175 participants who volunteered. These results should encourage scientists to engage more often with the public during science festivals, even on heated topics.

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Correcting Misperceptions About Genetically Modified Food on Social Media: Examining the Impact of Experts, Social Media Heuristics, and the Gateway Belief Model

Science Communication ◽

10.1177/1075547020981375 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 107554702098137

Author(s):

Leticia Bode ◽

Emily K. Vraga ◽

Melissa Tully

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Food Safety ◽

Genetically Modified ◽

Human Consumption ◽

Genetically Modified Food ◽

The Public ◽

Scientific Consensus ◽

Gm Food ◽

Belief Model ◽

The Impact

We experimentally test whether expert organizations on social media can correct misperceptions of the scientific consensus on the safety of genetically modified (GM) food for human consumption, as well as what role social media cues, in the form of “likes,” play in that process. We find expert organizations highlighting scientific consensus on GM food safety reduces consensus misperceptions among the public, leading to lower GM misperceptions and boosting related consumption behaviors in line with the gateway belief model. Expert organizations’ credibility may increase as a result of correction, but popularity cues do not seem to affect misperceptions or credibility.

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Debunking Misinformation About Genetically Modified Food Safety on Social Media: Can Heuristic Cues Mitigate Biased Assimilation?

Science Communication ◽

10.1177/10755470211022024 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 107554702110220

Author(s):

Yuan Wang

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Food Safety ◽

Experimental Design ◽

Genetically Modified ◽

Genetically Modified Food ◽

Gm Food ◽

Social Endorsement ◽

Biased Assimilation ◽

Source Cues

Focusing on debunking misinformation about genetically modified (GM) food safety in a social media context, this study examines whether source cues and social endorsement cues interact with individuals’ preexisting beliefs about GM food safety in influencing misinformation correction effectiveness. Using an experimental design, this study finds that providing corrective messages can effectively counteract the influence of misinformation, especially when the message is from an expert source and receives high social endorsements. Participants evaluate misinformation and corrective messages in a biased way that confirms their preexisting beliefs about GM food safety. However, their initial misperceptions can be reduced when receiving corrective messages.

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Public Perception on Labeling Genetically Modified (GM) Foods in Ghana: Implications for Food Policy

Biotechnology Journal International ◽

10.9734/bji/2020/v24i130095 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 25-37

Author(s):

Richard Ampadu-Ameyaw ◽

Johnny Owusu-Arthur ◽

Kwame Dei Asamoah-Okyere

Keyword(s):

Public Perception ◽

Food Policy ◽

Genetically Modified ◽

National Policy ◽

Public Understanding ◽

Food Ingredients ◽

The Public ◽

Gm Food ◽

Gm Foods ◽

Choice Variable

Labeling of genetically modified (GM) food and other food ingredients from GM source has become an important national policy issues receiving serious attention not only in Ghana but globally. This paper focused on public perceptions of labeling of GM foods in Ghana as a way of garnering a view of the public understanding of the technology that has become so much controversial for which several millions of public sector money is spent on education in the last few years. The survey which elapsed over a period of three months, shows results that indicate a dearth of knowledge on the technology and yet a high demand for labelling of the products, even though not many people read the labels on food products. This leads to the question as to ‘who is doing the listening’. The authors conclude that the limited knowledge and technology essentials among others explain why the public seems to reject the technology and call for labelling of the products in spite of the fact that labelling is nothing but a choice variable, which has nothing to do with safety measure. Modifying the present attitude of the opponents of the technology and the demanders of labelling ignoring the cost that may be involved require extensive education and awareness creations throughout the country using tailor made communication forms to address various different groups.

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The Present Situation of the Public Acceptance in Genetically Modified Crops and Food Products

Breeding Research ◽

10.1270/jsbbr.8.99 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 8 (3) ◽

pp. 99-105

Author(s):

Yoshiko Sassa ◽

Kazuo N. Watanabe

Keyword(s):

Genetically Modified ◽

Genetically Modified Crops ◽

Food Products ◽

Present Situation ◽

Public Acceptance ◽

The Public

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Microblog credibility indicators regarding misinformation of genetically modified food on Weibo

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0252392 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (6) ◽

pp. e0252392

Author(s):

Jiaojiao Ji ◽

Naipeng Chao ◽

Shitong Wei ◽

George A. Barnett

Keyword(s):

Machine Learning ◽

Social Media ◽

Science Communication ◽

Predictive Power ◽

Genetically Modified ◽

Public Understanding ◽

Supervised Machine Learning ◽

Genetically Modified Food ◽

The Public ◽

Gm Food

The considerable amount of misinformation on social media regarding genetically modified (GM) food will not only hinder public understanding but also mislead the public to make unreasoned decisions. This study discovered a new mechanism of misinformation diffusion in the case of GM food and applied a framework of supervised machine learning to identify effective credibility indicators for the misinformation prediction of GM food. Main indicators are proposed, including user identities involved in spreading information, linguistic styles, and propagation dynamics. Results show that linguistic styles, including sentiment and topics, have the dominant predictive power. In addition, among the user identities, engagement, and extroversion are effective predictors, while reputation has almost no predictive power in this study. Finally, we provide strategies that readers should be aware of when assessing the credibility of online posts and suggest improvements that Weibo can use to avoid rumormongering and enhance the science communication of GM food.

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The Differential Effects of Knowledge on Perceptions of Genetically Modified Food Safety

International Journal of Public Opinion Research ◽

10.1093/ijpor/edz020 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 32 (1) ◽

pp. 111-131 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Ariel Hasell ◽

Natalie Jomini Stroud

Keyword(s):

Food Safety ◽

Genetically Modified ◽

Genetically Modified Food ◽

The Public ◽

Knowledge And Attitudes ◽

Types Of Knowledge ◽

Gm Foods ◽

The Us ◽

Different Types ◽

The Relationship

Abstract Despite scientific consensus in the US that genetically modified (GM) foods are generally as safe as conventionally grown foods, the public remains skeptical about their safety. Extant research shows mixed results about the relationship between knowledge and attitudes when it comes to public opinion of GM foods in the US. This study uses data from the Pew American Trends Panel to examine the relationship between knowledge about GM foods and beliefs about their safety, in addition to what may be moderating these relationships. Results show that the relationship between knowledge and belief varies across different types of knowledge and that the effect of knowledge is moderated by perceptions of the immorality of genetic modification, rather than political or religious views.

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EU Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) Legal Systeme and Food Safety - Focused on the Decision-making System for Approval of GM Food Safety -

Inha Law Review : The Institute of Legal Studies Inha University ◽

10.22789/ihlr.2021.06.24.2.7 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 24 (2) ◽

pp. 233-273

Author(s):

Hyung-bok Chae

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Food Safety ◽

Genetically Modified ◽

Genetically Modified Organism ◽

Gm Food ◽

Decision Making System

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Facts and Myths about GM Food—The Case of Poland

Agriculture ◽

10.3390/agriculture11080791 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (8) ◽

pp. 791

Author(s):

Paulina Kubisz ◽

Graham Dalton ◽

Edward Majewski ◽

Kinga Pogodzińska

Keyword(s):

Global Economy ◽

Genetically Modified Organisms ◽

Human Life ◽

Genetically Modified ◽

Scientific Evidence ◽

Negative Attitude ◽

General Observation ◽

Adequate Knowledge ◽

Gm Food ◽

Polish Society

The importance of biotechnology for the global economy is growing, including developments in the field of genetically modified organisms (GMO), which have revolutionized the cultivation of several major food crops. Despite the many benefits from introducing genetic modifications to crops, the Polish society shows a strong distrust towards GMO-based food. The negative attitude of the society towards genetically modified (GM) food could be considered irrational. It is not supported by adequate knowledge and is based on fears, despite the fact that there is no scientific evidence of threats of GM products towards the environment, health, or human life. Details of these perceptions were revealed within Polish society from surveys of three groups of respondents: consumers, students, farmers. Data from the surveys have been compared with the answers to the same questions by five biotechnology experts from Polish academic institutions. A general observation from the analysis of the survey results and past studies quoted in the literature review is that the level of understanding and acceptance of GMO technologies is still low in Polish society, and, to a large extent, is based on stereotypes rather than on scientific knowledge. They show broad support for the general benefits of GMOs, which does not vary between the three groups of respondents surveyed, but noticeably differs with the experts’ views. GMOs have allies, but also opponents who have their own beliefs shaped largely by unreliable information disseminated through the Internet and social media. Providing more reliable targeted information on GMOs based on scientific evidence can have an important role in changing polarized attitudes towards GM food.

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Depicting Science in a Public Debate: The Philippine Legal Challenge Against GMO Eggplant

Science Communication ◽

10.1177/1075547019846130 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 41 (3) ◽

pp. 291-313 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Inez Z. Ponce de Leon ◽

Pamela A. Custodio ◽

Clarissa David

Keyword(s):

Supreme Court ◽

Scientific Inquiry ◽

Genetically Modified ◽

Field Testing ◽

Public Debate ◽

Public Acceptance ◽

The Public ◽

Legal Challenge ◽

Genetically Modified Crop ◽

Inductive Analysis

In 2015, the Philippine Supreme Court ruled against the field testing of Bt eggplant, a genetically modified crop. This decision was covered extensively in the local press, forcing scientists to defend their research. We used qualitative, inductive analysis to examine how three news outlets constructed science in their coverage of the issue. We found that science was constructed through four themes: science searched for proof, absolute consensus had to be reached, the characteristics of scientific inquiry are used to discredit scientists, and science is aware of its logical limits. These findings have implications for the public acceptance of innovations.

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