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The University of Colorado Boulder has an article up about a paper [open, DOI: 10.1038/s41562-018-0520-3] [DX] published Monday in Nature Human Behavior which finds that U.S. adults:
who hold the most extreme views opposing genetically modified (GM) foods think they know most about GM food science, but actually know the least
The paper's key finding is that:
the more strongly people report being opposed to GM foods, the more knowledgeable they think they are on the topic, but the lower they score on an actual knowledge test.
Interestingly the authors found similar results applied to gene therapy, but were unable prove a similar conclusion when they tested against climate change denialism. This leads them to hypothesize that:
the climate change debate has become so politically polarized that people's attitudes depend more on which group they affiliate with than how much they know about the issue.
It might be instructive to run similar studies in a number of areas such as
Vaccinations
Nuclear Power
Homeopathy
...
Where would you like to see this study done next?
(Score: 1) by helel on Wednesday January 16 2019, @04:12AM
Here are the objective questions, concerting GMO's. There are others concerning things like the earths core but cut n' paste wasn't working well so I stuck to the core subject.
True / False questions:
All plants and animals have DNA.
It is the father’s genes that decide whether the baby is a boy or a girl.
Ordinary tomatoes do not have genes, where as genetically modified tomatoes do.
Yeast for brewing beer or making wine consists of living organisms.
The cloning of living things produces genetically identical copies.
By eating a genetically modified fruit, a person's genes could also become modified.
It is possible to find out in the first few months of pregnancy whether a child will have Down's Syndrome.
Genetically modified animals are always bigger than ordinary ones.
More than half of human genes are identical to those of a chimpanzee.
It is not possible to transfer animal genes into plants.
Human cells and human genes function differently from those in animals and plants.
Embryonic stem cells have the potential to develop into normal humans.
Risks Below are some possible negative consequences of genetic modification technology. How much risk do you think each poses for society? Rate from No Risk (1) to Great Deal of Risk (9)
Genes from genetically modified plants spreading to other plants or animals, contaminating the environment.
Genetically modified food being more toxic or less nutritious, harming people who consume them.
Genetically modified crops giving big corporations too much power over small farmers.
Genetically modified food having unknown side-effects, increasing risks of cancer or other diseases for people who consume them.
Benefits Below are some possible positive consequences of genetic modification technology. How much benefit do you think each promises for society? Rate from No Benefit (1) to Great Deal of Benefit (9)
Genetically modified plants requiring less fertilizer and fewer pesticides. - note they specifically leave out herbicide who's increase with GMO's has been drastic and who's increase could easily be confused for pesticide by someone reading quickly or only partially familiar with agricultural sciences.
Genetically modified plants increasing crop yields.
Genetically modified food being more nutritious for consumers.
Genetic modification increasing animals' milk or meat production.
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