Beyond risk-benefit perceptions: social influence pathways in public attitudes toward genetic modification in China

Public support for genetic modification (GM) remains contested, shaped not only by individual risk-benefit evaluations but also by social contexts. Drawing on social influence theory, this study analyzes national survey data from China to examine how perceived majority opinion affects GM support directly and indirectly via perceived risks and benefits, and how these pathways are moderated by perceived important others’ opinion and government controllability. Results show that these three perceptions constitute distinct yet interacting forms of normative, referent, and authority-based influence, collectively shaping attitudes toward GM. By embedding individual evaluations within broader social contexts, this study extends prior research focused on cognitive determinants and offers a more comprehensive, context-sensitive account of how public support for controversial technologies is socially constructed.