Understanding shifting perceptions of nanotechnologies and their implications for policy dialogues about emerging technologies

摘要: Communications from scientists and engineers indicate concern about the potential for public aversion to nanotechnologies. Recommendations that policy dialogues occur early often as perceptions emerge have followed, multiple surveys high benefit ratings. This paper explores instead mobile conditional quality of current risks benefits nanotechnologies, judgments trust in regulation. Drawing a nationally representative phone survey 1,100 US residents, we found presenting risk information after had significant impact on acceptability ratings compared reverse order. Trust were also mobile, interacted with affective predispositions towards Overall, purposes dialogues, find attitudinal uncertainty suggesting considerable openness context-specific considerations linked new technologies. We caution against over promotion an avoidance appropriate discussions short term.