| This study examines which factors influence the approval of the use of genetic modification (GM) technology in food for European Union citizens. A subset of data (N = 18,635) from the European Values Study 4th Wave Integrated Dataset (2008) is used to estimate OLS and logit specifications of trust in government, beliefs about nature, and accepting a role for experts in policy-making as predictors of approval of GM applications in food. Previous analyses on the subject have used study-specific or Eurobarometer survey data, and have so far not covered the time period after the latest round of accession to the European Union. Results suggest that trust in government and the European Union are positively related to approval of GM foods, and believing that human interference in the environment can have disastrous results is negatively related to approval, as is considering God to be of personal importance. These findings imply that the policy impasse of GM crop cultivation in Europe cannot be entirely resolved through exposure to more information, as beliefs unrelated to technology-specific risks and benefits are also determinants of disapproval. |
