Huge Collection of Polls on Human Genetic Engein

Ask and ye shall receive!

Via Nightfox:


Here is a partial list of worldwide opinion polls on genetic editing: https://www.geneticsandsociety.org/internal-content/cgs-summary-public-opinion-polls.

Highlights below. (Sample sizes not listed are unavailable.)
TL;DR US support for cognitive enhancements collapsed in the 1990s. Support for genetic editing appears to be higher outside the Hajnal line (see Turkey, Italy, Spain).

U.K., XI.2017: 32% support, 60% oppose editing for intelligence and abilities (n = 2,061)
U.S., I.2016: 11% support, 83% oppose editing for intelligence/physical traits (n = 520)
U.S., I.2016: 14% support, 82% oppose federal funding for intelligence/physical traits (n = 520)
U.S., V.2015: 28% oppose, 72% support moratorium on genetic editing (n = 1,018)
U.S., VIII.2014: 15% support, 83% oppose editing for intelligence (78% men, 87% women) (n = 2,002)
U.S., I.2014: 16% support, 72% oppose research for intelligence editing (n = 1,000)
U.K., VIII.2005: 4% would modify own children to improve academics or sports (n = 2,432)
Brazil, late 2002: 82% oppose designer babies
Denmark, late 2002: 97% oppose designer babies
Mexico, late 2002: 76% oppose designer babies
Poland, late 2002: 18% support, 67% oppose designer babies
Taiwan, late 2002: 67% oppose designer babies
Turkey, late 2002: 43% support, 53% oppose designer babies
U.K., late 2002: 92% oppose designer babies
U.S., late 2002: 87% oppose designer babies
U.S., VI.2002: 20% support, 76% oppose editing for intelligence/physical traits
Scotland, fall 2000: ~90% oppose designer babies (n = 1,001)
U.S., 1996: 35% support editing for physical traits
U.K., 1994: 8% support, 88% oppose editing for intelligence*
New Zealand, 1993: 24% support, 67% oppose editing for intelligence (n = 329)
Australia, 1993: 27% support, 62% oppose editing for intelligence (n = 201)
Japan, 1993: 26% support, 54% oppose editing for intelligence (n = 352)
India, 1993: 70% support, 23% oppose editing for intelligence (n = 568)
Thailand, 1993: 74% support, 22% oppose editing for intelligence
 (n = 680)
Russia, 1993: 35% support, 49% oppose editing for intelligence (n = 446)
Israel, 1993: 22% support, 70% oppose editing for intelligence
 (n = 50)
Philippines, 1993: 49% support, 47% oppose editing for intelligence* (n = 164)
Singapore, 1993: 41% support, 54% oppose editing for intelligence* (n = 250)
Hong Kong, 1993: 36% support, 53% oppose editing for intelligence* (n = 105)
U.S., XII.1993: 34% support, 62% oppose editing for intelligence (8% support, 88% oppose mass editing for genetically desirable traits) (n = 500)
U.S., 1992: 42% support, 55% oppose editing for physical traits (n = ~1,000)
U.S., X-XI.1986: 44% support, 53% oppose editing for intelligence. (n = 1,273)

*Survey polls medical or biology students.
**Survey mostly polls teachers, academics and engineers/medical workers/government workers.

Other polls:

CZ, DE, ES, IT, SE, UK, XII.2017-II.2018: 29%, 33%, 49%, 47%, 32%, 41% respectively support non-medical editing (n = 6,000; 1,000 per country): https://www.orion-openscience.eu/news/201807/what-do-europeans-think-about-life-sciences-research.

U.S., II.2014: 26% support, 66% oppose editing for intelligence/physical traits (n = 1,001): http://www.pewinternet.org/2014/04/17/us-views-of-technology-and-the-future/.

Already mentioned:

U.S., XII.2018: 12% support, 69% oppose editing embryos for intelligence (11%, 66% for developing embryos) (n = 1,067)
China, VI-IX.2018: 30% support editing for intelligence (n = 4,196)
U.S., IV-V.2018: 19% support, 80% oppose editing for intelligence (n = 2,537)
U.S., XII.2016-I.2017: 26% support, 51% oppose germline enhancement (n = 1,600)
U.S., III.2016: 34% enthusiastic, 69% worried about brainchips to improve intelligence (n = 4,726).

Comments

  1. Huxley may even be more relevant these days than Orwell, but it’s a close call.

  2. 1993: the year of “Jurassic Park.”

  3. Mark P Miller says

    These days, I’m leaning more toward Philip K Dick than either of those.

  4. I’d definitely echo that and recommend “A Brave New World.”. It is not a big time investment and it touches on a lot of themes. Huxley was kind of a weird guy though, if you read some of his other stuff – not that I’ve read it all.