Principles of risk perception applied to gene technology

As the intense debate about genetically modified (GM) crops and food in Europe and elsewhere shows, the public has become increasingly wary of new technologies that harbour possible risks. Probably even more important, they are not willing to accept some applications of these technologies without previous and thorough debate on their implications and potential hazards (Frewer, 2003). Although some of the earlier resistance has disappeared—for instance, against the use of GM bacteria to produce drugs—current developments and applications of gene technology still give rise to controversy. The debate over the potential dangers of GM crops is not a new development—in fact, molecular biology shares this fate with other technological advances, most notably nuclear power production.> …the level of perceived risk of a new technology or product is an important early indicator of the public's alertness about its potential hazardsThe controversies over modern technologies usually centre on their risks—the known, potential and as yet unknown hazards that they may pose to human health, the environment or society. A major problem in these discussions is the fact that experts—scientists and engineers—and the general public often have very different notions of risk, which has hampered communication between these groups. This is due not only to communication strategies that played down the role of dialogue in the public communication of risk, but also to a flawed view of the public's attitude to, and experience of, risk. Consequently, this article focuses on risk perception or, to be more specific, on how the public perceives and understands risk in contrast to experts’ calculations. A better understanding of peoples’ reactions to new developments helps not only to devise better communication strategies but also to identify new and potential problems. In fact, the level of perceived risk of a new technology or product is an important early …