
Contents
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Factors Contributing to Fear of the Unnatural Factors Contributing to Fear of the Unnatural
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Heuristics Heuristics
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Availability Heuristic Availability Heuristic
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Affect Heuristic Affect Heuristic
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Naturalistic Fallacy Naturalistic Fallacy
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Predispositions Predispositions
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Environmentalism Environmentalism
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Disgust Disgust
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Morality Morality
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Anxiety Anxiety
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Larger Problem of Fear of the Unnatural Larger Problem of Fear of the Unnatural
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Food and Nutrition Food and Nutrition
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Drought Drought
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Health Health
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Overcoming Fear of the Unnatural Overcoming Fear of the Unnatural
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Social Accountability Social Accountability
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Individual Motivations: The Story of Mark Lynas Individual Motivations: The Story of Mark Lynas
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Societal Needs: Examples of Unnatural Products in Everyday Life Societal Needs: Examples of Unnatural Products in Everyday Life
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Compromise Via Public Debate: GMO Labeling in Brazil and the United States Compromise Via Public Debate: GMO Labeling in Brazil and the United States
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Conclusion Conclusion
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Notes Notes
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References References
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Selected Readings Selected Readings
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43 Understanding and Overcoming Fear of the Unnatural in Discussion of GMOs
Get accessRobert B. Lull is the Vartan Gregorian postdoctoral fellow in science communication at the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. His research addresses the influence of emotional arousal on information processing in media contexts.
Dietram A. Scheufele is the John E. Ross Professor in Science Communication and Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and in the Morgridge Institute for Research. His research deals with the interface of media, policy and public opinion.
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Published:06 June 2017
Cite
Abstract
Fear of the unnatural plays an important role when evaluating a powerful technology such as genetic engineering. Several factors contribute to fear of the unnatural, including heuristics and predispositions. This chapter examines the availability heuristic, affect heuristic, and naturalistic fallacy. It also discusses predispositions such as environmentalism, disgust sensitivity, morality, and anxiety and how fear of the unnatural—if inconsistent with the best available scientific evidence—is a problematic basis for public debate regarding genetic modification. Drawing on several case studies in which fear of the unnatural was overcome and public debate shifted from instinctive fear to substantive deliberation about responsible innovation, the chapter suggests that strategies to overcome fear of the unnatural can foster social accountability.
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