This Article Full Text (OnlineFirst PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by de Boer, J. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

The role of prevention-oriented attitudes towards nature in people's judgment of new applications of genomics techniques in soil ecology

Institute for Environmental Studies, VU University Amsterdam

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: joop.de.boer{at}ivm.falw.vu.nl.

	Abstract

New applications of genomics techniques in soil ecology may provide people with fresh insights into the richness of microbial life forms and natural methods to build on the "self-cleaning capacity" of soils. Because genetic modification might also be involved, this paper examines people’s judgments about some applications, using a theory on the promotion- or prevention-orientations that they may associate with interventions in the natural world. A prevention oriented way of thinking was hypothesized to correspond with a preference for more restrictions on a GM application, unless the person appreciates the application’s benefits for nature restoration. Survey data agreed with the hypotheses and clarified the way in which people may talk about "nature knows best" or "nature needs a little help."

First published on September 24, 2009
Public Understanding of Science 2009, doi:10.1177/0963662509342473


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?