Using Value Priorities to Explain Differences in Attitudes towards Genetically Modified Food

During the last few years the public has become in general more ambivalent towards new technologies and while expecting technological innovation to make their life better, they still old concerns about possible adverse effects deriving from the use of these technologies. The present paper offers a comparative approach on two European member countries concerning attitudes towards genetically modified food. The paper focus on values because previous research has shown that socio-economic factors can only partially explain differences in attitudes towards genetically modified food. Strong national differences lead to the idea that cultural differences should also be taken into account. Following the approach of Schwartz, the scope of this research paper is to analyse cultural priorities concerning genetically modified food at the individual level. Using data collected in Germany and Greece, the suitability of values to express continuous processes of cultural and individual changes is explored in relation to genetically modified food.