부산대학교 도서관

This study examined why people chose the "don't know" response when they were asked about opinions with respect to nanotechnology. Did people answer "don't know" because of a lack of adequate knowledge (uncertainty) about the topic or because of conflicts between various beliefs (ambivalence)? Using the subsample of Eurobarometer 64.3 survey collected from Germany, France, and the Great Britain, the top three countries with most governmental funding in nanotechnology in Europe, this study found that awareness of nanotechnology and general scientific knowledge reduced respondents' likelihood of choosing "don't know," indicating a function of uncertainty. In contrast, the results showed that the simultaneous existence of conflicting beliefs (e.g., nano is morally acceptable and nano is risky) prompted people to choose this no-attitude category, indicating a function of ambivalence. Furthermore, public attitudes toward other technologies have carry-over effects on attitudes towards nanotechnology. In this case, uncertainty about genetically modified food and genetically modified plants both prohibited people from forming clear-cut opinions about nanotechnology. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]