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Awareness & Impressions Of Synthetic Biology

A Report Of Findings

Based On A National Survey Among Adults

Conducted On Behalf Of:

Synthetic Biology Project
The Woodrow Wilson International Center For Scholars

Hart Research Associates

From January 10 to 14, 2013, Hart Research Associates conducted a nationwide telephone survey among 804 adults, including 243 who use only a cell phone. The survey explored attitudes toward the entities involved in the oversight of new scientific and technological advances, awareness of nanotechnology, and awareness of and attitudes toward synthetic biology, and impressions of potential applications of synthetic biology. This is the sixth year
we have asked questions about nanotechnology and the fourth year we have questioned respondents about synthetic biology. At the 95% confidence level, the data’s margin of is ±3.5 percentage points.

Overview

There has been little in public awareness of either nanotechnology or synthetic biology since previous surveys. Today, 31% of adults say they have heard a lot or some about nanotechnology, compared with 23% who say the same about synthetic biology. The most common associations that respondents make with synthetic biology are that it is unnatural, man-made, and artificial or that it has to do with reproducing life.

When first asked about the potential risks and benefits of synthetic biology, a plurality of adults thinks the risks and benefits will be about equal (40%). Similar proportions think the benefits will outweigh the risks (18%) as think the risks will outweigh the benefits (15%), and fully 27% are not sure.

After adults are given more information about what synthetic biology is and its potential risks and benefits, their impressions move more toward concern about risks than optimism about benefits. The proportion of adults who say risks will outweigh benefits increases from 15% initially to 33% once informed, an increase of 18 percentage points. By contrast, there is a six-percentage-point increase in impressions that the benefits will outweigh risks (18% initial, 24% informed). The proportion saying the benefits and risks will be about equal stays largely the same (40% initial, 38% informed).

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