The Importance of Being Accountable

Constructs derived from Schlenker's triangle model of accountability were used to explore the relationship between perceptions of the accountability of government, industry, and the regulatory process and survey respondents' knowledge and attitude toward potential applications of plant genetic engineering. Regression analysis indicated that accountability was a better predictor of attitude toward potential applications of plant genetic engineering than respondents'level of knowledge. The results lend support to the argument that perceptions of accountability may play a significant role in consumer reactions to food biotechnology.