Abstract
This paper examines the extent of and the reasons for the difference in risk perceptions toward nuclear power generation and genetically modified foods between the general public and experts. Questionnaire surveys were conducted for the general public, biotechnology experts, nuclear power experts, and employees of electric power companies. With respect to genetically modified foods, biotechnology experts harbored the lowest risk perception, while the general public and employees had the highest risk perception. On the other hand, nuclear experts and employees had lower risk perceptions toward nuclear power generation than did the general public and biotechnology experts. This paper shows that such differences in risk perception are related to differences in knowledge, information sources and contents, general attitudes toward science and technology, and important viewpoints that are factored while evaluating the value of a contentious technology.
