Survey of Awareness and Concept of Insects in Korea

To investigate the degree of individuals concept and awareness of insects, a survey study was conducted with students and adults living in Korea. The misconception rate for insects was about 50% for both students and adults, but it was lower for students and people who had experienced insect-related events than for adults and those who had not. The highest misconception rate was obtained in answer to a question about the basic structure of an insect. Most people had a high awareness of insects. Significant differences and correlations for the awareness of insects were found between students and adults, men and women, people who had experienced insect-related events and those who had not. The experience of an insect-related event most influenced awareness of insects. These results suggest that increasing people's interest in insects and utilizing insects in treatment situations may be beneficial for the field of mental healthcare.