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

Abstract

In late 1994, we performed a representative survey on attitudes to biotechnology and genetic engineering in Austria using the questionnaire applied in the Eurobarometer survey 39.1 of 1993. The results showed that support for genetic engineering in Austria was low compared to support in the rest of Europe. However, risks were perceived as being comparatively low, and the demand for government control was below average. Together with the very low level of knowledge and the reluctant optimism towards new technologies, the data suggested that, in Austria, the low level of acceptance might have been influenced by a conservative attitude to new technology rather than by any developed perception of the associated risk. However, when in 1996 the first releases of genetically modified organisms in Austria triggered widespread rejection, this was accompanied by a growing awareness of risk. Thus a more or less unreflected aversion to biotechnology seemed to precede risk perception in Austria.

References

quoted in Johnston, W. M. , 1972, The Austrian Mind (Berkeley, CA: University of California Press).

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).

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.

Evans, G. , and Durant, J. , 1995, The relationship between knowledge and attitudes in the public understanding of science in Britain. Public Understanding of Science, 4, 57-74.

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. , Bauer, M. , Liakopoulos, M. , and Marlier, E. , 1994, European public opinion on biotechnology. Paper presented at the conference `Biotechnology in European Society,' The Hague.

10.

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

11.

Mikl, M. , and Torgersen, H. , 1996, Releases in Austria: handling virtual releases. Science and Public Policy, 23(3), 195-200.

12.

Schillhab, J. , 1996, Gensorgen, representative survey (Vienna: Ökokonsult Umweltforschung).

13.

`Cultural orientations' referred to were similar to those originally described by Douglas, M. , and Wildavsky, A. , 1982, Risk and Culture (Berkeley, CA: University of California Press).

14.

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).

15.

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

16.

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

17.

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

18.

Felt, U. , 1994, National report: Austria. When Science Becomes Culture, edited by B. Schiele (University of Ottawa Press.)

19.

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