Cultural Cognitive and Genetically Modified Organisms
With world economy getting diversified and globalized there is a growing need to understand the perceptions and value of people towards new technologies. It is even more important when it comes to understanding people’s perception of risk associated with Genetically Modified Organism (especially food). In the last decade we have been hearing about pigs that glow in night, chicken without feathers etc. and it seem very normal for people to have their inhibitions and apprehensions towards this technology. People primarily view GMOs as a hazard and threat to human health. It is rated similar to toxic materials because GMO according to them are artificially created in laboratories. In a world …show more content…
In the beginning American consumers and farmers embraced GM food while European countries had (in the early 1990s) relatively permissive policies regarding the development of GM products. All the perceived benefits of GMO were thrown out of window when a study published in the prestigious journal Nature suggested that GE may have harmful effects (Losey, Rayor, & Carter, 1999). In addition, European concerns were dramatically amplified by multiple food scandals (e.g., mad cow disease), which in turn contributed to a climate of widespread distrust of GM food (Finucane and …show more content…
The concept of organic and local food as ‘slow food’ comparison of GMOs as ‘fast food’ seem to be a strong cultural representation of the debate in France. The high level of resistance to GMOs by Germany is often evaluated in light of culture cognition. Several theories explain this resistance and some of them are rejection of Nazi racial policy that rejects anything to do with genetics; a history of using a marketing strategy that has discussed food in terms of ‘‘100% security;’’ a tradition of strong anti-industry feeling toward chemical and pharmaceutical sectors which may now extend to biotechnology (Finucane and Holup,2005).While in Spain , one of the nations that have highest level of acceptance of GE there is a stark contrast in the way people value GE as a process and its application related to food consumption. They valued the benefits on economy due to GE however a clear majority disagreed to consume a fruit with flavour improved through genetic modification. In summary the reasons that lead to objections to GM food may vary but often can be traced to important socio-cultural beliefs, values, customs and histories that orient and inform people making decisions in the face of
With world economy getting diversified and globalized there is a growing need to understand the perceptions and value of people towards new technologies. It is even more important when it comes to understanding people’s perception of risk associated with Genetically Modified Organism (especially food). In the last decade we have been hearing about pigs that glow in night, chicken without feathers etc. and it seem very normal for people to have their inhibitions and apprehensions towards this technology. People primarily view GMOs as a hazard and threat to human health. It is rated similar to toxic materials because GMO according to them are artificially created in laboratories. In a world …show more content…
In the beginning American consumers and farmers embraced GM food while European countries had (in the early 1990s) relatively permissive policies regarding the development of GM products. All the perceived benefits of GMO were thrown out of window when a study published in the prestigious journal Nature suggested that GE may have harmful effects (Losey, Rayor, & Carter, 1999). In addition, European concerns were dramatically amplified by multiple food scandals (e.g., mad cow disease), which in turn contributed to a climate of widespread distrust of GM food (Finucane and …show more content…
The concept of organic and local food as ‘slow food’ comparison of GMOs as ‘fast food’ seem to be a strong cultural representation of the debate in France. The high level of resistance to GMOs by Germany is often evaluated in light of culture cognition. Several theories explain this resistance and some of them are rejection of Nazi racial policy that rejects anything to do with genetics; a history of using a marketing strategy that has discussed food in terms of ‘‘100% security;’’ a tradition of strong anti-industry feeling toward chemical and pharmaceutical sectors which may now extend to biotechnology (Finucane and Holup,2005).While in Spain , one of the nations that have highest level of acceptance of GE there is a stark contrast in the way people value GE as a process and its application related to food consumption. They valued the benefits on economy due to GE however a clear majority disagreed to consume a fruit with flavour improved through genetic modification. In summary the reasons that lead to objections to GM food may vary but often can be traced to important socio-cultural beliefs, values, customs and histories that orient and inform people making decisions in the face of