People Opposed to GMOs Know the Least About Science by Isabelle Rideout
Back in January, a peer-reviewed study published in Nature, an extremely high profile scientific journal, proclaimed that people opposed to GMOs know the least about science – but think they know the most. While this is nearly a month old, I thought this was interesting enough to write about in The Orange and Black, and seeing as no one else had written about it, I decided to.
But before talking about the study’s findings, let’s review what GMOs are. Genetically Modified Organisms, GMOs, or organisms that have been genetically engineered are living things that scientists have changed DNA in. The vast majority of people are fearful of this new technology, despite 80% of scientists proclaiming it safe. Slate announced that the case against GMOs is “full of errors, fallacies, misconceptions, misrepresentations, and lies.” Still, many people aren’t ready to accept this new tool, especially when it reaches their dinner table.
NPR reported that the study asked 2,000 US and European adults about their opinions on GMO foods, how well they thought they understand the science behind GMOs, and an assortment of true/false questions of general scientific knowledge and genetics. The questions were basic science stuff, like if the center of the earth is hot or cold. There were also questions on genetics, like if a non-genetically modified tomato has genes.
The study concluded that those most strongly opposed to GMOs know the least about science, but think they know the most. Sydney Scott, a marketing professor at one of the schools that ran the study says, “We have to get people to recognize gaps in their knowledge before we try to teach them new things and have a meaningful discussion.”
This effect of thinking one knows a lot, but knowing the least in actuality seems similar to the Dunning-Kruger effect, in which incompetent people think they are super competent. The explanation behind this is that unskilled people lack the skill necessary to evaluate their own skill.
In short, understanding science isn’t just about passing science class. It’s about understanding the world around us and having enough knowledge to make good choices on important issues. Paying attention during 7th grade genetics will help you understand what that “Non GMO” sticker really means.