Which of the following is NOT an area in which genetic engineering has been used?

In the context of genetic engineering, the primary fields that have seen significant applications include agriculture, medicine, and industrial biotechnology. These areas utilize genetic modification techniques to enhance crop yields, develop medical therapies, and produce biofuels, enzymes, and other biochemical products.

Agriculture involves the genetic engineering of plants to improve traits such as resistance to pests, drought tolerance, and nutritional value. In medicine, genetic engineering plays a crucial role in the development of gene therapies, production of recombinant proteins, and the creation of vaccines. Industrial biotechnology often employs genetic modifications to optimize microorganisms for the production of enzymes and biochemicals used in various manufacturing processes.

However, social research does not typically fall under the umbrella of genetic engineering applications. While social research may study the implications or ethical considerations of genetic engineering, it does not directly involve the manipulation of genetic material for practical applications like the other fields mentioned. This distinction makes social research the correct answer to the question of which area is not associated with the use of genetic engineering.