A Study On The Education And Awareness Of Genetically Modified Foods Among Consumers In China

Objective:Facing the current situation of Genetically Modified Foods(GMF) industry and the high attention to GMF paid by people in China, this paper attempted to analyse the present knowledge, attitude, willing to purchase and main information sources by the method of questionnaire survey, to conclude the hotsopts and potential problems of Chinese current GMF safety researches through bibliometrics analysis on the literature works issued in Chinese famous and authoritative databases(CNKI, VIP, and Wan Fang) from 2000 to 2014,and to put forward some suggestions in scientific education of GMF form the perspective of information dissemination and social psychology, finally providing the valid and scientific references for the scientific education of GMF in China and the new research disciplines for GM related researches and experiments.Methods:1. Literature review. By collecting and consulting lots of GMF related literature works,policies, and government documents, the paper tried to make a deep and clear sense of the history and the development of GMF, providing a relatively comprehensive background for this study.2. Questionnaire survey. This paper explored and analyzed the current knowledge,attitude, and willing to purchase and the influencing factors among 12000 consumers chosen by using the method of accidental sampling through the method of questionnaire survey conducted in 318 counties, 23 provinces in China.3. Bibliometircs analysis. The paper discussed and concluded the current status,IV research hotspots and potential problems existing in the GMF safety related researches in China by analysing literature works collected form three authoritative databases(CNKI,VIP, and Wan Fang) form 2000 to 2014 with Citespace Ⅲ software.4. Case analysis. The study analysed the scientificity, education effects, and problems of GMF scientific education in China with the discussion of prevalent education route and mode and by taking Mr. Cui’s using the network media to spread his values and attitudes towards GMF as an example.Results:1. The result of questionnaire survey showed that people in China had low cognitive level about GMF generally. People in China got weak awareness of GMF(31.7%), they held negative and conservative attitudes to this new technology and its products(59.3%),meanwhile, they have low willingness to purchase GMF(18.6%). Besides these, network media was the main scientific information source for people in China.2. The quality of scientific research on GMF safety was weak and backward in China,which lied in the development of single discipline constantly, lack of diversity, low level of collaboration. Weak and backward research on GMF safety finally leaded to the distrust and fear of GMF among people in China.3. Given the analysis on Mr. Cui’s using the network media to spread his values and attitudes towards GMF, the paper summarised three kinds of attitude towards GMF related information, the first one is the “Antagonistic Psychology” for the information spread by the government and some scholars; the second one is the “Herd Behavior” for the values and attitudes of the famous person and mass media; the third one is prudent principle for the uncertainty of GMF safety.Conclusions:For the low knowledge level, the fear, and the negative attitudes of people in China towards GMF, government should make a scientific and proper GMF education strategyfrom the perspective of dissemination and psychology, guide the public opinion, and create a healthy and sustainable circumstance for the development of GMF industry.1. Stress the leading role of government in GMF scientific education. The government should strengthen the publication of government affairs and the communication between the government and the public; the government should expand the coverage of scientific education and improve the public awareness of science; the government should support more scientific researches and enhance the independent innovation ability in GM technology.2. Play the supporting role of scientific technology. The experts should play their role of professional knowledge in the process of GMF education; the social celebrity should guide the public opinion correctly and properly; the scientific research teams should build more close collaboration and realize the development of interdisciplinarity of GM scientific research.3. Highlight the guiding role of mass media. The information spread by the mass media should be regulated more strictly and the trust and confidence should be rebuilt; the mass media should play its guide role with the diverse information dissemination manners.