Tattoos and Piercings: Attitudes, Behaviors, and Interpretations of College Students

Previously, in those segments of America where "proper" behavior was valued, tattoos and body piercings were examples of what Goffman identified as "stigma"--they spoiled one's identity. Today, tattoos and piercings have become more mainstream. This study reports the survey of 400 undergraduates at a large southeastern university. Regarding tattoos, 27% (women more than men) reported having a tattoo. Significant gender differences for tattoos included: women sought tattoos for personal body decoration, men for group identity (e.g. Marines); women, compared to men, were more likely to view tattoos on the other sex as attractive, to believe their parents would not approve of a tattoo, to fear that getting a tattoo would be painful, to believe that negative health consequences would occur, and to believe that the meaning of a tattoo would change over time. Regarding piercings, 69.7% of the women compared to 28.2% of men reported having any piercings. Men, compared to women, were more likely to report that their parents/current and future friends would not approve of piercing, to report that they were attracted to other sex individuals with piercings, and to feel that a piercing made them a better lover. Health implications and limitations of the study are suggested. (Contains 1 table.)