Public Opinion Deliberation and Decision Making about Genetics Research

How do ordinary Americans make sense of genetic research? How might they decide whether or not to participate in such research? The proposed study aims to address these questions, in a two-year panel study unfolding in three broad phases:
-an initial, general-population baseline survey of relevant knowledge, attitudes and opinions;
-a structured series of web-based group deliberations, whereby a random subset of survey participants meet three times over several months to respond to and discuss decision scenarios highlighting basic ethical and social issues implicated in genetics research; and
-a series of concluding public opinion surveys, gathered from participants in the deliberative groups as well as from a fresh sample of the U.S. population.

Key goals of the project include:
-obtaining high-quality and representative public opinion data, of both a qualitative and quantitative nature, on beliefs and opinions about issues surrounding genetics research;
-constituting deliberative forums known to produce diverse, informed, and representative opinion;
-examining the changing nature of public opinion as it takes shape through public discourse and deliberation;
-testing the impact of information framing on opinions about uses of genetic data, privacy, data sharing, and on willingness to participate in research; and
-moving beyond conventional opinion-survey responses, by examining public decision making in the context of authentic choice scenarios related to participation in genetics research.