Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment

Ethical orientations of Ohio residents toward genetically engineered plants and animals: An urban/rural comparison

Author(s):

Ted L. Napier ^*, Mark A. Tucker, Coreen Henry, Xiaoyan Yang

Recieved Date: 2004-02-20, Accepted Date: 2004-04-29

Abstract:

Data were collected from 902 adult residents of Ohio during the winter and spring of 2003 to assess ethical orientations toward genetic engineering of plants and animals. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire that was mailed to randomly selected people living within rural and urban areas of the state. A return rate of 52.5% was achieved using three mailings. Ethical orientations toward genetic engineering of plants and animals were assessed using a Likert-type scale that was shown to have a 0.84 coefficient of reliability which is considered good by contemporary social science standards. The theoretical perspective used to guide the investigation was developed from selected components of social learning and risk perception theories. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the merits of the theoretical perspective developed to guide the investigation. Study findings revealed the theoretical model was effective for predicting variability in ethical orientations toward genetically engineered (GE) plants and animals. Approximately 44% of the variance in the dependent variable for the total sample was explained by the statistical model. The structured equation model developed for the total sample was shown to be good for assessing direct and indirect effects of several variables on ethical orientations toward GE plants and animals. All of the significant variables within the model were shown to be consistent with research hypotheses. Findings revealed that perceived risk associated with the production and consumption of GE plants and animals was the best predictor of ethical orientations toward GE products. The data were divided into rural and urban sub-samples and analyzed using structural equation modeling. The structural equation models were shown to be different for rural and urban respondents. Findings are discussed in the context of future acceptance of GE plants and animals among Ohio residents.

Keywords:

Genetic engineering, plants, animals, ethics, rural, urba

---

Journal: Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment
Year: 2004
Volume: 2
Issue: 2
Category: Environment
Pages: 400-411

---

Full text for Subscribers

---

Information:

Note to users

The requested document is freely available only to subscribers/registered users with an online subscription to the Journal of Food, Agriculture & Environment. If you have set up a personal subscription to this title please enter your user name and password. All abstracts are available for free.

Article purchasing

If you like to purchase this specific document such as article, review or this journal issue, contact us. Specify the title of the article or review, issue, number, volume and date of the publication. Software and compilation, Science & Technology, all rights reserved. Your use of this website details or service is governed by terms of use. Authors are invited to check from time to time news or information.

---

Purchase this Article:   20 Purchase PDF Order Reprints for 15

---

Share this article :