Revision as of 09:44, 26 October 2012

Survey

Background

The survey was carried out by the [http://portal.mytum.de/jungeakademie/index_html/document_view?/ TUM young academy], which planned to install a [http://www.genial-info.de/ website] to inform the public about genetic engineering. They made an online questionnaire and stood in Munich for one day, with a print out version. All in all 1183 people participated, 979 online and 204 on the street, thereof 597 were male and 570 female. The problem is that, in this survey, the group of the age from 15-24 is drastically over represented with 70%, the reason could be that through the university project more students were reached.
This team allowed us to use their data for our project as well. As they had 33 questions, we chose the ones directly relied to genetic engineering, the ones dealing with the webpage they wanted to create we left out.

Basic data

Participants: 1183
Online participants: 979
Street participants: 204
Male: 597
Female: 570
Age: mainly between 15-24 (70%)

Questions

Evaluated questions

How do you feel about genetic engineering in general?
How good do you think is your knowledge about genetic engineering?
Are you concerned about genetically modified food?
Do you think genetic engineering is reasonable in medicine?
Do you think genetic engineering is reasonable in farming?
Do you think genetic engineering is reasonable in food?
Do you think the commentatorship in Germany is neutral?
Would you eat a genetically modified apple if it was healthier?
Would you eat a genetically modified apple if it tasted better?

Answers

Overall impression about genetic engineering

Knowledge about genetic engineering

Concerns about genetically modified food

Acceptance of genetic engineering in farming

Acceptance of genetic engineering in medicine

Neutrality of the German media from the point of view of the public

Decision to eat an genetically modified apple if it was healthier

Decision to eat an genetically modified apple if it was tastier

Conclusion

In contrary to our first impression, about half of the questioned people said that they have a "normal" or better amount of knowledge. In our former human practice events we often realized that the discussions are rather emotional than scientific. This difference could arise from the mostly younger people who participated. Because in Germany genetic engineering started to play a bigger role in schools and in the media, although as mentioned below, the media is not always neutral. The overall impression of genetically modified organisms is not that bad, but it needs to be differentiated where genetic engineering is used. Many people agree that it is appropriate to use it in medicine.
In contrast 633 people (food) and 573 people (farming) did not accept genetic engineering in food and agriculture. As already mentioned on our overview page people do not accept GMOs in their food. In Germany great skepticism persists. The fact that people (533) would not eat genetically modified apples even if they would taste similar, shows the low acceptance as well. If genetic engineering would be used for production of healthier aliment, the renunciation decreases.

The advantages of green biotechnology are not present in people's minds and many people think that they are not informed impartial. This leads to a negative point of view and therefore neutral reporting is essential.

All in all red biotechnology is widely accepted in Germany whereas green biotechnology is discussed controversial. Additionally some Germans think that media does not report objective about GMOs. Furthermore people wish that genetic engineering plays a bigger role in politics.

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 ==Conclusion==
 In contrary to our first impression, about half of the questioned people said that they have a "normal" or better amount of knowledge. In our former human practice events we often realized that the discussions are rather emotional than scientific. This difference could arise from the mostly younger people who participated. Because in Germany genetic engineering started to play a bigger role in schools and in the media, although as mentioned below, the media is not always neutral.
-The overall impression of genetically modified organisms is not that bad, but it needs to be differentiated where genetic engineering is used. Many people agree that it is appropriate to use it in medicine (922).
+The overall impression of genetically modified organisms is not that bad, but it needs to be differentiated where genetic engineering is used. Many people agree that it is appropriate to use it in medicine.
 <br/>
-In contrast 633 people (food) and 573 people (farming) did not accept genetic engineering in food and agriculture. As already mentioned on our [https://2012.igem.org/Team:TU_Munich/Human_Practice/Overview overview page] people do not accept GMOs in their food. The skepticism in Germany is rather big.
+In contrast 633 people (food) and 573 people (farming) did not accept genetic engineering in food and agriculture. As already mentioned on our [https://2012.igem.org/Team:TU_Munich/Human_Practice/Overview overview page] people do not accept GMOs in their food. In Germany great skepticism persists.
-This is also depicted in the fact that people (533) will rather not eat a genetically modified apple even if it would taste the same. Eating a healthier apple is not that controversial but not many Germans would (404). So with around 50% of people who would not eat a healthier apple, when it is healthier because of genetic engineering, the problem lies in the acceptance. Even a positive result is not enough to convince people. But the question about medicine shows that the benefit is here that good that people accept genetic engineered therapeutics. So maybe the benefit of green biotechnology is not that present in the people's minds.
+The fact that people (533) would not eat genetically modified apples even if they would taste similar, shows the low acceptance as well. If genetic engineering would be used for production of healthier aliment, the renunciation decreases.
 <br/><br/>
-Nevertheless it is to be mentioned that a lot of people think that they are not informed impartial. This might lead to a rather negativ point of view, because a neutral reporting is essential to come up with his or her own mind.
+The advantages of green biotechnology are not present in people's minds and many people think that they are not informed impartial. This leads to a negative point of view and therefore neutral reporting is essential.
-All in all it is to say that the red biotechnology is widely accepted in Germany, whereas green biotechnology has a hard stand. Although it is to say that the Germans think that the media is not neutral about GMO, 808 think so. Also they have the wish that plays a bigger role in politics (655).
+All in all red biotechnology is widely accepted in Germany whereas green biotechnology is discussed controversial. Additionally some Germans think that media does not report objective about GMOs. Furthermore people wish that genetic engineering plays a bigger role in politics.

Team:TU Munich/Human Practice/Survey

From 2012.igem.org