Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
table .
Public Perceptions Regarding nanotechnology based on opinion Polls
Population
sureyed
knowledge of
nanotechnology
Year
Perception of Risk
other Findings
Ref.
2003
1005.people.
over.the.age.
of.15.in.
Great.Britain
26%.of.
respondents.had.
heard.of.
nanotechnology.
and.19%.could.
deine.the.term.
68%.of.respon-
dents.believed.
nanotechnology.
would.improve.
life.in.the.future;.
13%.believed.that.
the.consequences.
would.depend.on.
how.nanotechnol-
ogy.was.used.
In.subsequent.workshops.
with.50.participants.in.
urban.areas,.researchers.
further.explored.
perceptions..Participants.
perceived.the.beneits.
might.include.medical.
breakthroughs.and.other.
enhancements.to.the.
quality.of.life,.and.hoped.
for.unforeseeable.
beneits..Concerns.
included.social.justice,.
inancial.implications,.
long-term.side.effects,.
whether.nanotechnolo-
gies.and.devices.would.
work.as.anticipated,.and.
whether.nanotechnolo-
gies.could.be.controlled.
[18]
2004
1011.Japanese.
adults.in.the.
Tokyo.area.
About.55%.of.
those.respon-
dents.had.heard.
of.nanotechnol-
ogy.either.
frequently.or.
from.time.to.
time.
Half.of.those.
surveyed.believed.
that.nanotechnol-
ogy.would.
improve.their.lives.
in.the.next.20.
years.
88%.thought.positively.
about.nanotechnology's.
beneit.to.society,.but.
55%.were.concerned.that.
the.advancement.of.
nanotechnology.could.
present.risks.to.safety,.
unexpected.outcomes,.or.
moral.issues..“[T]he.level.
of.trust.in.scientists.in.
terms.of.the.nanotechnol-
ogy-related.information.is.
the.highest.(54%).among.
NGO,.Industry,.
government,.TV.and.
other.media..And.the.
government.received.the.
lowest.trust.(22.5%).”
[19]
