What Do We Know? Review of U.S. Public Genetic Modification Literacy Reveals Little Empirical Data
As genetic modification for food production has expanded, U.S. public discourse about the acceptance and regulation of use of these products has also expanded. Dissent is currently presumed to be widespread. However, assessments of public agricultural literacy around the technology alternatives are...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Mississippi State University
2018-10-01
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| Series: | Journal of Human Sciences and Extension |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/jhse/vol6/iss3/4/ |
| _version_ | 1828336724330151936 |
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| author | Kathryn A. Stofer Tracee M. Schiebe |
| author_facet | Kathryn A. Stofer Tracee M. Schiebe |
| author_sort | Kathryn A. Stofer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | As genetic modification for food production has expanded, U.S. public discourse about the acceptance and regulation of use of these products has also expanded. Dissent is currently presumed to be widespread. However, assessments of public agricultural literacy around the technology alternatives are limited, especially in the context of food production versus medical genetic testing, about potential environmental risk and other reasons for dissent. Assessments also tend to focus on consumer knowledge in outdated deficit-model frameworks. In preparation for an assessment of U.S. adult public understanding of traditional breeding and genetic engineering technology, we reviewed existing agricultural literacy and science literacy literature to determine current understanding and locate existing instruments on which to build such an assessment. Of 323 peer-reviewed articles, we found only four that empirically examined U.S. adult public audiences in the context of literacy related to genetic modification for food. Results from agricultural economics and four gray literature pieces provided additional context and direction for our own survey development. We suggest ways to build a more representative and meaningful survey relying on more than knowledge deficits to characterize agricultural literacy and plant genetic literacy. This will lay the foundation for understanding why dissent over such agricultural topics exists. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T22:05:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2db5731e0d644b6faa8be54271f39bef |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2325-5226 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T22:05:56Z |
| publishDate | 2018-10-01 |
| publisher | Mississippi State University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Human Sciences and Extension |
| spelling | doaj.art-2db5731e0d644b6faa8be54271f39bef2022-12-22T02:27:57ZengMississippi State UniversityJournal of Human Sciences and Extension2325-52262018-10-0163118https://doi.org/10.54718/LVXE2579What Do We Know? Review of U.S. Public Genetic Modification Literacy Reveals Little Empirical DataKathryn A. Stofer0Tracee M. Schiebe1University of FloridaFlorida Agriculture in the ClassroomAs genetic modification for food production has expanded, U.S. public discourse about the acceptance and regulation of use of these products has also expanded. Dissent is currently presumed to be widespread. However, assessments of public agricultural literacy around the technology alternatives are limited, especially in the context of food production versus medical genetic testing, about potential environmental risk and other reasons for dissent. Assessments also tend to focus on consumer knowledge in outdated deficit-model frameworks. In preparation for an assessment of U.S. adult public understanding of traditional breeding and genetic engineering technology, we reviewed existing agricultural literacy and science literacy literature to determine current understanding and locate existing instruments on which to build such an assessment. Of 323 peer-reviewed articles, we found only four that empirically examined U.S. adult public audiences in the context of literacy related to genetic modification for food. Results from agricultural economics and four gray literature pieces provided additional context and direction for our own survey development. We suggest ways to build a more representative and meaningful survey relying on more than knowledge deficits to characterize agricultural literacy and plant genetic literacy. This will lay the foundation for understanding why dissent over such agricultural topics exists.https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/jhse/vol6/iss3/4/genetic modificationscience literacyplant genetic literacygenetic engineeringagrilcultural literacygenetically modified foodgenetically modified organismspublic understanding |
| spellingShingle | Kathryn A. Stofer Tracee M. Schiebe What Do We Know? Review of U.S. Public Genetic Modification Literacy Reveals Little Empirical Data Journal of Human Sciences and Extension genetic modification science literacy plant genetic literacy genetic engineering agrilcultural literacy genetically modified food genetically modified organisms public understanding |
| title | What Do We Know? Review of U.S. Public Genetic Modification Literacy Reveals Little Empirical Data |
| title_full | What Do We Know? Review of U.S. Public Genetic Modification Literacy Reveals Little Empirical Data |
| title_fullStr | What Do We Know? Review of U.S. Public Genetic Modification Literacy Reveals Little Empirical Data |
| title_full_unstemmed | What Do We Know? Review of U.S. Public Genetic Modification Literacy Reveals Little Empirical Data |
| title_short | What Do We Know? Review of U.S. Public Genetic Modification Literacy Reveals Little Empirical Data |
| title_sort | what do we know review of u s public genetic modification literacy reveals little empirical data |
| topic | genetic modification science literacy plant genetic literacy genetic engineering agrilcultural literacy genetically modified food genetically modified organisms public understanding |
| url | https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/jhse/vol6/iss3/4/ |
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