Psychological and sociological perspectives for good governance of sustainable nanotechnology development in Malaysia

Abstract

Nanotechnology is developed to improve public well-being, stimulate economic growth, and provide environmental solutions, which are essential for sustainable development. However, the uncertain risks of nanotechnology may destroy public confidence and impede nanotechnology development from facilitating sustainable development. Thus, public perception is a critical component to understand public acceptance of nanotechnology and for nanotechnology development to be well governed. Good governance of nanotechnology is vital to ensure the benefits are distributed equitably while protecting the public from the risks. Hence, this study was based on psychological and sociological approaches with intervention from moderators, that is, media coverage, technology and economic development, benefit and risk of nanoapplications, and benefit and risk information. A survey was conducted in Malaysia to determine the effects of moderators' influence on public perceptions. The study found, based on a psychological and sociological approach, that the moderating effects of moderators influenced public perception in a manner that increased or decreased the benefit and risk perception of nanotechnology. The results later serve as an input for recommending good governance strategies for applying nanotechnology to sustainable development.

Unlocking Nanotechnology Adoption Intention in the Malaysian Food Industry

“…Furthermore, nanotechnology enhances the shelf life of packaging while also improving food safety and downstream processes such as protein extraction of large molecular weight proteins such as bovine serum albumin. Aside from the tremendous lineup of nanotechnology applications in the food industry, Kamarulzaman et al (2019) reported in their study that nanotechnology is viewed as a key component of national economic development, with innovation in this field seen as holding significant potential for groundbreaking scientific advancements and improving overall human life quality. The contribution of nanotechnology is gradually increasing, and the entire nanotechnology market size and expected value in the food industry will be greater than RM1.31 (US$0.31) billion in 2025 (Dardak, 2023).…”

Sustainable Nanotechnology

“…158,159 This can be similarly observed in other parts of the world, where a large percentage of citizens know very little about nanotechnology. [160][161][162] On the other hand, countries such as China and Singapore demonstrated relatively high awareness of nanotechnology. 163,164 Public sentiments toward nanotechnology are generally positive and cautious.…”