9Characteristics of/constraints on journalism (e.g.

framing, objectivity/balance debate)

- Psychometric Approach (e.g. dread factors, uncertainty, outrage)
o Characterizing risks by peoples psychological reactions
o Factors that influence risk perception/response
Dread
Uncontrollable, may pose risks to future generations
This risk may be involuntarily taken not given choice imposing
the risk on people people lose control increase concern
Uncertainty
New/ unfamiliar, cant see it, dont know when you will be
exposed, delayed effects, scientists dont understand it enough or
the person doesnt understand it enough
Additional
Lack of trust, something is human-made vs. natural (more prone to
errors), are the benefits worth the risks? outrage

- Confirmation Bias
-
- Social Amplification of Risk
o The media, or people who spread news, alter the original message, and intensify
only certain aspects adding or deleting other parts of the news, and then resend
that message out to the public
o Causes a ripple effect of certain perceptions that stay in peoples minds whether
they are true or not
o Public distortion of risks
- Cultural cognition
o Tendency of people to conform their perceptions of risk and perception of various
ethicacies of combatting risk to their preferred understanding of how society
should be organized
o This is why people persistently disagree on some scientifice evidence eben when
the scientists or scientific community has come to a near consensus.
o Peoples own beliefs and values affect their risk perception
Prior perception is used as a measure of how consistent the info is with
their perception. If it is consistent, they usually take that in. if not, they
refute that information
o People search out information in a biased way, look more towards and for
information that coincide with their views
o Credit info more readily if its consistent with their prior risk perception- discredit
if not
So dont use new information to update more knowledge, people
wont change their minds ever or very quickly
o People have culcutral predisposition to risk (some kind of tendency or latent
disposition) to find some claims more creditable than others on the basis of an
identifying group characteristic
Non-Cornellian Ithacan Parent against
- Dont NEED the food, but has student eat at school to fit in with other students
- Not happy with Cornell big red up on the hill testing out new technology on
your child for profit
- Concerned about safety of technology
- Head about GMO horror stories and dont believe technology has been
adequately tested regardless of what federal government says
- Dont think benefits outweigh risks
- Says Cornell has questionable funding

- Psychometric approach

o Dread
Risk is taken in involuntarily, imposing it on their kids, increases
their concern
o Uncertainty
Unfamiliar with the science behind it,
o Lack of trust/outrage
Benefits outweight the risk
Lack of trust in the technology and the scientists
Think the scientists are out for the money instead of wellbeing
have ulterior motives
- Confirmation bias
- Social amplification of risk
o Heard about GMO horror stories

Member of genetic literacy project for GMO

- For GMOs no matter what didnt go to the meeting to discuss or talk about
risks/benefits already went in with a clear decision made, just to jump at
opportunities to disprove naysayers and people who are unsure - feel that
anybody who is against GMO is wrong immediately
- Comes in with confirmation bias
- Comes in with cultural cognition