The Effect of Information Choice and Discussion on Consumers' Willingness-to-Pay for Nanotechnologies in Food

We evaluate the impact of different information sequences on participants’ hypothetical willingness to pay (WTP) for food produced using nanotechnology. In three treatment groups, information on the health, societal, or environmental impact linked to nanotechnology was revealed in different sequences: an imposed order, a chosen order, and a chosen order after a discussion among participants. Results show that information choice is important. While in the imposed order, the first information revealed has no effect on WTP, the information chosen first has a strong impact. Discussion has no further impact. Health information was a priority and significantly decreased WTP, while societal and environmental information did not significantly influence WTP.discussion, experimental economics, food nanotechnology, information choice, willingness to pay, Demand and Price Analysis,

The morality of attitudes toward nanotechnology: about God, techno-scientific progress, and interfering with nature

Using survey data, we examine public attitudes toward and awareness of nanotechnology in Germany (N = 750). First, it is shown that a majority of the people are still not familiar with nanotechnology. In addition, diffusion of information about nanotechnology thus far mostly seems to reach men and people with a relative higher educational background. Also, pro-science and technology views are positively related with nanotech familiarity. Results further show that a majority of the people have an indifferent, ambiguous, or non-attitude toward nanotechnology. Multinomial logit analyses further reveal that nanotech familiarity is positively related with people’s attitudes. In addition, it is shown that traditional religiosity is unrelated to attitudes and that individual religiosity is weakly related to nanotechnology attitudes. However, moral covariates other than religiosity seem of major importance. In particular, our results show that more negative views on technological and scientific progress as well as more holistic views about the relation between people and the environment increase the likelihood of having a negative attitude toward nanotechnology

Disciplined by the discipline: a social-epistemic fingerprint of the history of science

Argument The scientific system is primarily differentiated into disciplines. While disciplines may be wide in scope and diverse in their research practices, they serve scientific communities that evaluate research and also grant recognition to what is published. The analysis of communication and publication practices within such a community hence allows us to shed light on the dynamics of this discipline. On the basis of an empirical analysis of Isis, we show how the process of discipline-building in history of science has led its practitioners to be socialized and sensitized in relatively strong intra-disciplinary terms - with minimal interdisciplinary openness

Des consommateurs entre indifférence et méfiance : Comportements français et allemands face à une possible introduction des nanotechnologies dans le secteur agro-alimentaire

Les innovations technologiques dans le secteur agro-alimentaire posent la double question de leur acceptabilité par les consommateurs et de leur mise sur le marché en Europe. Les résultats de travaux récents sur la perception des nanotechnologies dans l’alimentation permettent de comprendre et d’anticiper les réactions potentielles des consommateurs avant l’introduction de nouveaux produits. Une enquête par questionnaire met en lumière une relative indifférence des consommateurs allemands et français face aux nanotechnologies ainsi qu’une forme de pessimisme vis-à-vis de ces produits. Une expérience d’économie expérimentale menée en laboratoire conclut à une attitude globalement méfiante des consommateurs allemands et français et à une faible acceptabilité des nano-aliments ou des nano-emballages alimentaires. Les possibilités de développement de nano-produits dans les secteurs agroalimentaires apparaissent aujourd’hui limitées en l’état actuel des connaissances et des attitudes face à cette technologie

The Effect of Information Choice and Discussion on Consumers' Willingness-to-Pay for Nanotechnologies in Food

We evaluate the impact of different information sequences on participants’ hypothetical willingness to pay (WTP) for food produced using nanotechnology. In three treatment groups, information on the health, societal, or environmental impact linked to nanotechnology was revealed in different sequences: an imposed order, a chosen order, and a chosen order after a discussion among participants. Results show that information choice is important. While in the imposed order, the first information revealed has no effect on WTP, the information chosen first has a strong impact. Discussion has no further impact. Health information was a priority and significantly decreased WTP, while societal and environmental information did not significantly influence WTP

Consumer choices for nano-food and nano-packaging in France and Germany

An experiment with different information treatments was conducted in France and Germany to evaluate consumers willingness to pay (WTP) for food nanotechnology focusing on two applications: nano-fortification with vitamins and nano-packaging. Results show that many consumers in both countries are reluctant to accept nanotechnology in food. Being confronted with general information on nanotechnology, econometric estimations of WTP reveal that French consumers are more reluctant to accept nano-packaging, whereas German consumers are less inclined to accept nano-fortification compared with the respective other application. More detailed information on nanotechnology has a negative impact when voluntary access to relevant information is assured.Une expérience a été menée en France et en Allemagne afin d'évaluer le consentement à payer des consommateurs pour les nanotechnologies alimentaires en se concentrant sur deux applications: un nano-enrichissement en vitamines et des nano-emballages. Les résultats montrent que de nombreux consommateurs dans les deux pays sont réticents à accepter les nanotechnologies dans les aliments. Des estimations économétriques révèlent que les consommateurs français sont plus réticents à accepter des nano-emballages, alors que les consommateurs allemands sont moins enclins à accepter un nano-enrichissement en vitamines