COMMUNITY ATTITUDES TOWARDS EMERGING
TECHNOLOGIES - BIOTECHNOLOGY 2013
SEGMENTATION STUDY
Community Attitudes towards Emerging Technologies - Biotechnology 2013
Segmentation Overview
In the 2012 survey, a series of statements relating to science and technology and the
world around us were included to investigate whether groupings exist in the community
regarding attitudes towards emerging technologies. An attitudinal segmentation using a
cluster analysis of these statements was conducted.
Segmentation analysis shows four distinct attitudinal groupings exist within the
community each with differing appetites for information about science and technology,
and biotechnology in particular.
As Segment 1 typifies, there appears to be a link between low levels of awareness
of biotechnology and rejection (or at least relatively weak acceptance) of specific
biotechnological applications.
Segment 4, (24%) appear to be well-informed advocates for science and
technology and specific biotechnological applications..
Males are consistently more positive with regard to biotechnology and specific
applications.
Attitudes towards science and technology: 2012
1
Community Attitudes towards Emerging Technologies - Biotechnology 2013
Attitudes towards the world around us: 2012
Trends in public opinion towards biotechnology:
SEGMENTS
2
Community Attitudes towards Emerging Technologies - Biotechnology 2013
Support for biotechnology by segment
Trends in public opinion towards biotechnology:
SEGMENT VALUES
3
Community Attitudes towards Emerging Technologies - Biotechnology 2013
Trends in public opinion towards biotechnology:
SEGMENTS
Table 5. Segments' key demographic characteristics
Column %
Segment Segment Segment Segment
1
2
3
4
Total
n=219
n=245
n=233
n=237
n=999
Male
41
45
45
68
50
Female
59
55
55
32
50
16- 30 years
24
23
26
33
23
31- 50 years
33
36
41
41
38
51 - 75 years
43
35
33
26
34
Employed (PT/FT/Self)
54
62
65
68
62
23
16
16
8
16
6
6
6
4
5
12
12
10
18
13
Unemployed
3
3
2
2
3
ATSI background
Yes
2
3
2
2
2
Language other than
English spoken at home
Yes
25
8
20
11
16
Children under 10 at home Yes
23
21
23
30
27
Capital city vs. non-capital
city
Capital city
64
63
67
70
67
Rest of state/territory
36
32
33
30
33
Gender
Age
Employment
Retired or Pensioner
Home duties
Student
Note: Excludes n=1 that were not able to be classified in the statements due to a lack of variability in their
responses.
Filter: 2012 only AND CATI only; Weighted to population
 Indicates statistically significant difference compared to those not in that category
4
Community Attitudes towards Emerging Technologies - Biotechnology 2013
Segment 1 - 22%
Segment 2 - 25%

Low interest in
science and
technology

Most likely to agree
to negative
statements about

the benefits of
science and
technology

High agreement
that you shouldn't
tamper with nature



High agreement
that children should
be protected from
all risks


Relatively lower
awareness and
understanding of
biotechnology



Least likely to say
the benefits of
using biotechnology
and GM outweighs
the risk in most

situations but also a
high proportion of
those who did not
feel they could say
what the balance
was

Lowest support for
GM and other
biotechnologies
Least excited about 
science and
technology (but
only just lower than

Segment 1)
Most likely to
disagree that the
benefits of science
are greater than
any harmful effect

Second most likely 
to agree to negative
statements about
science and
technology
Low belief that
children should be
protected from all
risks

High awareness of
biotechnology but
mostly have heard
of it but not know
much about it

Second least likely
to think benefits of
using GM and
biotechnology
outweigh the risks
in most situations

Higher interest and
excitement about
scientific
Segment 4 - 23%

Second least likely
to agree to negative 
statements about
science and
technology

Most protective of
children from risks
High awareness of
biotechnology but
mostly have heard
of it but not know
much about it
Highest interest and
support for
advances in science
and technology
Least likely to say
people shouldn't
tamper with nature
Highest level of
support for GM and
other
biotechnologies

Most likely to say
the benefits of the
use of GM and
biotechnologies
outweigh the risks

More likely to be
male

Second most likely
to say the benefits

of the use of GM
and biotechnologies

outweigh the risks
More likely to be
employed
Second highest
level of support for
GM and other
biotechnologies
More likely to be
from a non-English
speaking
background
Less likely to be
retired
More likely to be a
student
Second lowest level
of support for GM
and other
biotechnologies

More likely to be

female, aged 51-75
Fewer children
under 10

Less likely to be
employed

More likely to be
from a non-English
speaking
background
Fewer from nonEnglish speaking
backgrounds

Segment 3 - 30%
Predictors of attitudes
More likely to be supportive of
GM and other biotechnologies
Less likely to be supportive of
GM and other biotechnologies
Gender
Male
Female
Age
16-30 years
51 - 75 years
Awareness and knowledge
Had heard of biotechnology
Had not heard of the term
biotechnology
Knew enough to explain it to a
friend
Employment
Students or Employed
Retired, or home duties
Segments
3 and 4
1 and 2
5
Community Attitudes towards Emerging Technologies - Biotechnology 2013
Higher agreement with:
More likely to be supportive of
GM and other biotechnologies
Less likely to be supportive of
GM and other biotechnologies
Science is such a big part of our
lives that we should all take an
interest
Scientific advances tend to benefit
the rich more than they benefit the
poor
New technologies excite me more
than they concern me
Technological change happens too
fast to keep up with
Not vaccinating children puts others We should use more natural ways of
at risk
farming
People shouldn't tamper with nature
S&T Values by segments
Average out of 10 (Disagree/agree
scale)
Segment 1 Segment 2 Segment 3 Segment 4
Total
n=214
n=225
n=250
n=168
n=947
7.46
7.4
8.3
9.0
8.1
New technologies excite me more
than they concern me
5.6
5.6
7.0
8.4
6.7
The benefits of science are greater
than any harmful effect
5.7
4.9
6.3
6.7
5.9
Scientific advances tend to benefit the
rich more than they benefit the poor
7.1
5.3
4.3
2.8
4.8
Technological change happens too
fast for me to keep up with it
7.9
5.7
5.5
3.1
5.5
We depend too much on science and
not enough on faith
6.9
4.2
3.8
1.3
3.9
Science and technology creates more
problems than it solves
6.1
4.0
3.2
1.3
3.6
Science is such a big part of our lives
that we should all take an interest
Values to the world around us by segments
Average out of 10 (Disagree/agree
scale)
Segment 1 Segment 2 Segment 3 Segment 4
Total
n=230
n=223
n=256
n=153
n=935
Human activities have a significant
impact on the planet
8.9
8.4
9.0
8.7
8.8
Not vaccinating children puts others
at risk
8.7
7.6
8.5
9.0
8.4
We should use more natural ways of
farming
8.8
7.6
7.9
6.0
7.6
I believe that everything in the world
is connected
8.0
7.6
8.0
6.8
7.6
Children must be protected from all
risks
8.5
3.4
9.1
4.7
6.5
People shouldn't tamper with nature
8.0
5.5
5.4
3.0
5.4
6
Community Attitudes towards Emerging Technologies - Biotechnology 2013
Average out of 10 (Disagree/agree
scale)
People have the right to modify the
natural environment to suit their
needs
Segment 1 Segment 2 Segment 3 Segment 4
Total
n=230
n=223
n=256
n=153
n=935
3.5
4.0
5.0
5.5
4.5
Willingness to eat food types by segment
Average
Segment 1
Segment 2
Segment 3
Segment 4
Total
Organic food
7.9
7.4
8.0
8.1
7.8
Food containing preservatives
4.2
4.9
5.2
5.8
5.0
Processed foods such as cakes or
biscuits that contain only a small
amount of genetically modified
ingredients
4.0
4.6
5.2
6.6
4.9
Processed foods such as bread or soy
milk, that has been made from
genetically modified crops
3.9
4.2
5.0
6.3
4.7
Genetically modified fruit and
vegetables
3.5
4.2
4.9
6.3
4.6
Meat and other products from
animals that have been fed with
genetically modified stock feed
3.4
4.2
4.8
6.4
4.5
Food grown with the use of pesticides
3.5
4.3
4.5
5.4
4.3
Meat and other products from
genetically modified animals
3.0
3.6
4.2
5.8
4.0
Meat and other products from the
offspring of cloned animals
2.8
3.4
3.9
6.0
3.8
Meat and other products from cloned
animals
2.7
3.4
3.8
6.1
3.8
Willingness to eat food types by segment
Average out of 10 (0-10 scale Not
valuable at all/Extremely valuable)
Segment 1
Segment 2
Segment 3
Segment 4
Total
The food was healthier
6.6
6.2
7.5
7.7
7.0
The food cheaper
6.1
5.5
6.6
7.0
6.3
The food last longer
5.5
5.1
6.1
6.8
5.9
The food taste better
5.1
4.2
5.4
5.3
5.0
In favour of growing GM crops in state by
segment
%
Yes
Segment 1
Segment 2
Segment 3
Segment 4
Total
32
42
56
80
53
7
Community Attitudes towards Emerging Technologies - Biotechnology 2013
%
Segment 1
Segment 2
Segment 3
Segment 4
Total
No
50
39
27
9
31
Don't know
18
19
16
11
16
Genetically modifying plants and using
biotechnology in the production of food - Benefits
outweigh the risk by segment
Segment
1
Segment
2
Segment
3
Segment
4
Total
Modifying the genes of plants to produce
food
39
28
54
73
49
Modifying the genes of plants to produce
food by introducing the genes of a plant of
the same species
49
44
61
81
59
Modifying the genes of plants to produce
food by introducing the genes of a plant of
a different species
29
25
37
59
38
Modifying the genes of plants to produce
food by introducing the genes of an animal
to a plant
9
3
10
28
12
Modifying the genes of plants to produce
food by introducing the genes of a
bacterium to a plant
18
16
25
44
26
Using biotechnology in the production of
food from plants
45
31
53
78
51
Using biotechnology in the production of
food from plants by changing the genes of
a plant without introducing new DNA
40
22
40
66
42
Using biotechnology in the production of
food from plants to assist in conventional
breeding
42
24
46
68
45
8