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College Students’ Perception of Tattoos
HSB4U Independent Study Unit
College Students’ Perceptions of Tattoos
Amanda Chin Yih Tyng & Bette Chia Hooi Ping
Challenge and Change in Society - Period 2
College Students’ Perception of Tattoos
Table of Contents
Description Page
I. Table of Contents 2
II. Introduction 3
III. Methods 14
IV. Results 19
V. Discussion 31
VI. References 41
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College Students’ Perception of Tattoos
Introduction
This study on college students’ perception of tattoos was carried out by Amanda Chin
Yih Tyng and Bette Chia Hooi Ping for our Independent Study Unit for Mr. Joel Cressman’s
period two Challenge and Change in Society class in the Canadian Pre-University programme
at Taylor’s College. We would like to thank Mr. Cressman for his support and advice as we
carried out our Independent Study Unit. We are also grateful to our Challenge and Change
classmates for providing meaningful and applicable feedback, and for their unrelenting
encouragement.
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College Students’ Perception of Tattoos
a. Reason for research
Tattoos are our topic of choice. We are fascinated by their permanence, and how they
carry such deep meaning for some, yet are results of a moment of impulse for others. It also
interests us how they are seen both as a form of art and a taboo in our contemporary world.
We think that tattoos fit into the disciplines of sociology and anthropology. Sociology, the
study of the development of human society and how it works, is an area that tattoos
correspond to as it looks at how social trends, such as tattoos, can affect individuals, families,
and communities. For example, many see body art as an identifier of criminal activity
(Ashworth, 2013), and those who obtain tattoos may become stigmatised by the society they
reside within (Williams, Thomas, & Christensen, 2014). On the other hand, anthropology
examines culture and its physical and social characteristics. In some cultures, tattoos are a rite
of passage, worn as marks of honour and pride, and used to represent one’s status in their
community.
Tattoos are a social trend. A social trend can be defined as an aspect of culture that is
popular amongst many people (Parker, 2011). In today’s world, an increasing number of
individuals are choosing to acquire tattoos, and it is becoming a social norm. Through our
research, we discovered that the world’s oldest tattoos belong to Ötzi, an European Tyrolean
Iceman who was buried beneath an Alpine glacier after his death around 3250 B.C. (Scallan,
2015), reiterating the idea that the culture of marking your skin with ink has existed for
millennia. We have also learned that to date, in Ancient Egypt, only female mummies have
been found with tattoos, which has lead some scholars to think that it was solely a female
practice (Lineberry, 2007). This is a stark contrast to the culture surrounding tattoos in our
contemporary society, where they are more associated with masculinity (Moorthy,
Gunasekaram & Asmuje, 2015). Additionally, there have been cases where tattoos are used to
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College Students’ Perception of Tattoos
help facilitate therapy, as seen on the Spike network television show, ‘Ink Shrinks’ (Meinert,
2015).
However, it is imperative to recognize that tattoos carry their own risks. The required
use of needles to inject ink into the skin means that if the needles used are not sterilized, the
danger of the occurrence of health issues such as skin cancer, infections, and HIV increases
exponentially (K, 2014). In addition to that, some of the inks used in the tattooing process are
capable of causing allergic reactions (Michelle, 2014), further heightening the chances of the
individual who is obtaining the tattoo contracting a variety of illnesses, If one wishes to
remove their tattoo, the different methods of removal can result in adverse effects (Kluger,
2015). The social stigma surrounding tattoos should also give one reason to pause. Many see
tattoos as a signifier of deviance, connecting them with rebellion and criminal activity (Park,
2015), and though a person might not necessarily acquire a tattoo because of the negative
perception surrounding it (Proehl, 2004), they will undoubtedly be associated with a deviant
image by the majority of society. Moreover, having visible tattoos could be an impediment to
one’s likeliness of securing employment (Lim, Ting, Leo, & Jayanthy, 2013).
We will use the information we have gathered on body ink to pose questions to
college students regarding their views on tattoos, and look to discover if they view tattoos as
more than just designs inked into one’s skin. Additionally, we want to find out what
teenagers today think of the general society’s perception of tattoos. We plan to study if the
availability of job opportunities play a factor when people consider obtaining tattoos. We also
want to see if the likelihood of people acquiring tattoos is influenced by the risks that the
tattooing process carries, and the inefficient nature of tattoo removal procedures in the case of
regret over a piece of body art.
b. Research question and Hypothesis
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College Students’ Perception of Tattoos
Research question: Do tattoos give college students a perception of deviance, or are they seen
as a meaningful form of self-expression?
Hypothesis: College students perceive tattoos as a sign of deviance.
Our hypothesis is that college students perceive tattoos as a sign of deviance.
Deviance, the state of deviating from accepted or conventional standards, has been associated
with tattoos for countless generations, albeit through extremely polarised and unfavourable
lenses. We believe that the older generation’s negative association of tattoos to deviant social
behaviors, such as gang culture and committing criminal acts, is passed down to their
offspring, leaving them with a similar perspective. Parents are also likely to warn their
children against acquiring tattoos, citing examples of the prejudices society has against those
with visible body art. However, there has been growing acceptance amongst the post-
millennial generation of those who choose to permanently mark themselves with ink.
Nevertheless, due to its status as an Islamic nation and location in the South-East Asian
region, we think that the cultural orientation of the country we are in, Malaysia, will influence
our findings. As such, we wish to discover if tattoos give college students a perception of
deviance, or if they see them as a meaningful form of self-expression.
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College Students’ Perception of Tattoos
c. Literature Review
Tattoos are a type of body modification, in the form of ink markings on the skin.
Throughout history, tattoos have been viewed and understood in many different lights,
depending on one’s societal context- They have been a rite of passage, a mark of the deviant,
a sign of one’s spiritual devotion, and an indicator of status. More recently, tattoos have
emerged as a profound form of creative self-expression beyond impermanent fashion, as well
as a repository of memories and a site of affirmations (Leader, 2015). However, there is still a
strong stigma surrounding body ink, with the older generation pushing an unfavourable
perception of tattoos to their children. They bolster the stereotype of tattoos as a marker of
deviance, connecting them to individuals who participate in abhorrent matters such as
criminal activity and gang violence. It is important to note that this prejudice does not truly
reflect the academic definition of deviance, which is “the state of deviating from accepted or
conventional standards” (Oxford Dictionaries, 2016). Irregardless, the media has played an
immense role in relation to the state of the publicity of tattoos in modern society (Walzer &
Sanjurjo, 2016). They have perpetuated how having a tattoo makes one look “cool”, as it
mirrors the famous, some who have tattoos themselves. Given that today’s college students
have been brought up with these conflicting viewpoints, it is of interest to determine whether
tattoos give them a perception of deviance, or if they are seen as a meaningful form of self-
expression.
There are various reasons why people choose to get body modifications, and the
majority of them are personally meaningful (Williams, Thomas, & Christensen, 2014). Some
people use tattoos to express who they are, what they have lived through, and how they see
themselves in relation to others and to their social worlds (Kang & Jones, 2007). Most who
choose to get inked have a design in mind beforehand, or confer with their tattoo artist to
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College Students’ Perception of Tattoos
decide on, or even create, a pattern that suits and represents them that also conveys their
intended message. With such time and detail devoted to choosing the most fitting design, it is
obvious that tattoos have emerged as an impactful form of creative self-expression beyond
impermanent fashion, as well as a repository of memories and a site of affirmations (Leader,
2015). Tattoos are influential symbols of identity due to their connotation in the greater social
formation and their social perceptions (Gracia-Merritt, 2014). Adding to their significance is
that every individual perceives them and their meaning differently. The social acceptance of
tattooing and body modification varies, with it being highly based on social and geographical
context- And it is the social context in which a person resides that is foremost in determining
society’s view of his or her tattoos.
It is important to understand the consequences of acquiring a tattoo (McGriff, 2015),
because despite body modifications having become more common in the last few decades,
there is still stigmatism regarding people with them (Williams, Thomas, & Christensen,
2014). As previously stated, the negative perception of the older generation towards tattoos,
and body modification in general, is still prevalent in this day and age. Their scrutiny of those
with body art can have adverse effects on said individuals, and those with visible ink suffer
the brunt of judgement from strangers, who have their own preconceived opinions about body
art. This contributes to there being both internal and external impressions and influences that
connect to one’s remorse over obtaining a tattoo or other body art, despite there being
independence in the actual decision and acquisition (Joyce, Tammy, & Kiser, 2015). Notably,
health worries, inadequate sources, and issues of permanency are the main reasons why non-
tattooed college students abstain from getting tattooed (Dickson, Dukes, Smith, & Strapko,
2015).
As a result, in spite of the widespread nature of tattoos in today’s world, students who
are interested in getting tattoos know that they must cover them up in the workplace, and
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College Students’ Perception of Tattoos
even though students think tattoos may prevent them from getting a job, many are still
considering getting one (Foltz, 2014). It is interesting to note that outside influences play a
critical role in the decision of college students to get inked, with some of the most compelling
external reasons in their resolutions to tattoo being social stigmas, peer and parental pressure,
and health considerations (Tse, Firmin, Angelini, & Foster, 2012). This may be in part
influenced by the fact that many employers dislike people with tattoos, and having visible
tattoos may actually prevent one from obtaining a job (Caster, 2015). Almost all of the
references in Caster’s study emphasise this, stating that with the high competition we face in
our contemporary society, if an employer were to choose between a man covered in tattoos,
but who holds two degrees, and a man who only has one degree but does not have body art,
the man with no tattoos would have a higher chance of getting employed.
Nonetheless, college students who have tattoos do not have any remorse about getting
them, and only get their first tattoo after much deliberation (Dickson, Dukes, Smith, &
Strapko, 2015). In the study by Dickson, Dukes, Smith, and Strapko (2015), the process of
getting a tattoo and its meaning was examined among 195 tattooed and 257 non-tattooed
undergraduates. One hundred and ninety-five (43.1%) of the respondents had one or more
tattoos, and at 46.1%, more women had tattoos than men. In the study, 38 people (19.7%)
who took part acquired their first tattoo before the age of 18. Of those, 11 (71.1%) did so with
parental permission, and of the 22 respondents who had two or more family members with a
tattoo, 81.8% were allowed obtain one by their parents. It is important to keep in mind,
however, that these numbers are not statistically significant due to the small number of cases,
in spite of the large statistic divide. A 2012 Harris poll reported that 38% of respondents aged
30-39, 30% of those aged 25-29, and 22% of those aged 18 to 24 have one or more tattoos
(Braverman, 2012). Several smaller studies indicate that about 20% of people, aged 18-25,
have a tattoo (Armstrong, 2005), and studies with college students show similar rates (Forbes,
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College Students’ Perception of Tattoos
2001; Home, Knox, Zusman, & Zusman, 2007; Manuel & Sheehan, 2007; Resenhoeft, Villa,
& Wiseman, 2008). Based on these statistics, it can be said that more and more young adults
are obtaining body ink. Among a group of adult respondents, tattooed individuals say that
having their tattoo makes them feel more sexy (30%), rebellious (25%), attractive (21%),
strong (21%), and spiritual (16%) (Braverman, 2012).
Brian Miller, a professor of management at Texas State University who conducted a
study investigating the disadvantages of personal expression through body art, stated that
prejudices, stigmatization, and stereotyping in the workplace can be brought on by tattoos
(Jennifer, 2016). The discrimination against those with tattoos is born from longstanding
connection of body ink to adversity, such as those who go against the law, or are involved in
gang culture. Tattoos are also affiliated with those of a lower social class, due to their relation
with seamen, who would tattoo themselves after an expedition, and slaves, who were marked
to discourage escape. These views have been carried over to the present day, albeit to a lesser
extent, and it is most obvious in the working world. Many jobs, especially those in the public
service industry, have strict aesthetic regulations regarding tattoos. Visible tattoos, for
example, are not allowed (or are only allowed under certain guidelines) in fields such as
teaching, forest service, or certain military/police operations. (Lianchic, 2009). It is
inevitable that almost everyone, including those who hire you, will scrutinise you, and form
their first impression of you based on the presence of body modifications on your body. It is a
reality that the working society will make judgements of you and give you additional
difficulties due to you having a tattoo.
In order to avoid creating a business faux pas, students today who choose to express
themselves follow a prevailing corporate tattoo policy and analyze the area of their tattoo
placement so as to not be discriminated against (Foltz, 2014). It was revealed that two out of
five students have a type of body art (Lipscomb, Jones, & Totten, 2008), showing that despite
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College Students’ Perception of Tattoos
being aware of the stigmatisation surrounding body modification, students are still willing to
express themselves through the alteration of their bodies. A study conducted in 2009 revealed
that almost half of the students surveyed were split, with 32.51% stating they did think body
art would prohibit someone from being hired with the remaining 20% having no opinion.
Additionally, researchers found almost 9% of students surveyed had tattoos and that, not
surprisingly, the students with body art would be more favorable to seeing tattoos in the
workplace (Dale, Bevill, Roach, Glasgow, & Bracy, 2009).
One must keep in mind that there are not only social repercussions when acquiring a
tattoo, but physical risks as well. There are many inflammatory reactions due to the trauma of
the skin that comes in contact with the needles whilst going through the process of tattooing,
and there is a possibility of skin diseases occurring on the tattooed area (Khunger, 2015).
Being stuck with needles over and over again for an extended period of time not only hurts,
but is risky as well. Getting a tattoo can put you at certain risks, such as contracting a variety
of illness ranging from a bacterial infection to HIV (K, 2014). Furthermore, tattoo inks have
many hazards that can harm the body just by coming into contact with it (Iwegbue, 2016).
Merely coming into contact with these metal pigmentation components can cause metal-
related skin inflammation, allergies, eczemas, and granulomatous reactions. Moreover, if one
wishes to get their tattoo removed, it is a lengthy and arduous procedure. If you desire a
tattoo, and if you were to want to remove it later on, the process will not be enjoyable. Just
because you appreciate tattoos does not mean that everyone else does, and this includes your
potential employers, strangers on the street, and acquaintances (Lianchic, 2009). These are
among the factors one must consider when getting a tattoo, and in the context of college
students, many whom are on a limited budget, the risks and costs of getting inked may
outweigh the benefits of this form of self-expression.
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College Students’ Perception of Tattoos
Forms of body modification appear to be perceived in a more negative light in an
Asian context, especially when compared to American and European views. Here in
Malaysia, data shows that many of the people view the practices of body piercing and
tattooing as an embodiment of the dark, self-expression, a means of memorializing
meaningful memories and moments, spirituality, and a form of art. However, when around
those with tattoos and body piercings, there was a level of discomfort among the majority of
those who participated in the research (Lim, Ting, Leo, & Jayanthy, 2013). Employment
opportunities are a universal aspect considered when discussing body modifications, with an
emphasis on tattoos, and much of the contemplation surrounding the choice to have a tattoo
has relations to this factor. Aside from this, those who participated in Moorthy, Gunasekaram
& Asmuje’s research gave several reasons for getting tattoos, among them being
individuality, fortune, music, love, clubs, religious beliefs, and as body decorations. The
influence of religious views in Malaysia on tattooing correlate to the results of the research
carried out (Moorthy, Gunasekaram & Asmuje, 2015)- Permanent tattooing is prohibited in
Islam, and as such, the predominant Malays are against it.
In conclusion, it is evident that the social contexts in which people inhibit shape the
responses and interpretations of their tattoos by others (Kang & Jones, 2007). Evidence
shows that the moral boundaries of tattoos differ along various dimensions, such as
situational, subcultural, and familial, and because of this, people with tattoos find themselves
interacting with both the deviant and conventional sides of these oral boundaries, and these
intercommunications can themselves work to change the moral boundaries (Proehl, 2004). As
the result of the endeavors of moral entrepreneurs, cultural diffusion, and persons who are
indifferent to other’s opinions, there has been an expansion in the moral boundaries of
tattoos. It is interesting to note that when contrasted with later studies that we reviewed, there
is a visible change in the attitude towards tattoos, with the previous statement ringing true in
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College Students’ Perception of Tattoos
much of the more recent research. The majority of the aforementioned research was
published in the past five years, making them relatively up-to-date and reliable. However, as
the majority of the research that we looked at at is based in Western-oriented countries, the
findings may not apply to Malaysia, an Asian-oriented country, as there is still a considerable
gap between Asian-oriented and Western-oriented countries in terms of culture and mindset.
As such, we think that the unfavourable view of tattoos, so strongly advocated by the older
generation, has been successfully passed down to the millennial generation, and though there
are those who deviate from the norm, we feel that college students perceive tattoos as a
deviance.
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College Students’ Perception of Tattoos
Methods
a. Release
The survey was released on the 29th of April, 2016 and closed on the 10th of May,
2016. We published a link in the CPU@Taylor’s group, which is made up of college students
and faculty from the Canadian Pre-University programme, enabling us to broadcast the
survey to the target group of college students. In addition to that, we posted it in our
Challenge and Change’s Google Classroom group, requesting the assistance of our peers to
complete the survey. We also messaged our college-going friends personally on messaging
applications such as WhatsApp, and asked for their help in filling up our survey. We
encouraged our friends to share the survey with their college friends as well, allowing us to
reach a broader group of people.
b. Survey questions
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College Students’ Perception of Tattoos
15
College Students’ Perception of Tattoos
16
College Students’ Perception of Tattoos
17
College Students’ Perception of Tattoos
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College Students’ Perception of Tattoos
Results
a. Demographics
We prepared a total of five demographic questions for our participants to answer, with
three multiple-choice questions and two textbox response questions. We required our
participants to identify their gender, age, religion, nationality, and if they currently had
tattoos, as we believed that these would be essential factors when analysing our results. We
managed to garner 76 responses over a period of 12 days. Of the 76, when asked to state
their gender, 44 (57.1%) identified as female, 32 (41.6%) as male, and one individual (1.3%)
identified as non-binary. Age wise, we had 68 participants who were in the age range of 17-
20 and those that remained fell between the ages of 21-24. In the case of religious beliefs, we
had 24 (31.2%) Christians, 20 (26%) Buddhists, 10 (13%) atheists, nine (11.7%) Muslims,
six (7.8%) Hindus and eight (10.4%) people who were of miscellaneous religions. When it
came to nationality, 60 respondents (78.9%) stated that they were Malaysian, making them
the overwhelming majority of our participants. Lastly, we enquired if they presently had body
ink. More than half (88.3%) answered negatively, but we had four (5.2%) respondents who
did have tattoos, and five (6.5%) who had more than one tattoo.
b. Survey results
Our survey was completed by 76 individuals. Forty-four (57.9%) of our survey
respondents were female, 31 (40.8%) were male, with one (1.3%) identifying as non-binary.
75 participants gave serious answers when asked for their age, with one person’s results
subtracted due to their illogical response. As our survey was focused on college students, the
average age of our respondents was 18.9. When asked to state their religion, most of our
respondents identified as Christian (31.6%). The next highest group were Buddhist (26.3%),
and the third highest participants were Muslims and Atheists (11.8%). See Figure 1 for a
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College Students’ Perception of Tattoos
more detailed breakdown of the religions of our respondents. When asked for their
nationality, at 78.9%, the overwhelming majority of our participants stated that they were
Malaysian. Lastly, when we enquired if they currently had tattoos, the predominant response
was no at 88.2% (see Figure 2).
Figure 1: The religious groups of our participants.
Figure 2: The presence of tattoos on our participants.
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College Students’ Perception of Tattoos
A series of 15 non-demographic questions were prepared for our respondents, which
were a mix of 5 point ordinal scale questions, multiple choice questions, and checkbox
questions. Out of those 15, we chose nine that we deemed interesting to analyse.
We asked our respondents if they thought that how people with tattoos are accepted
depends on whether they live in Asian or Western oriented societies (Kang & Jones, 2007),
and 32 people agreed with this statement. At 13.2%, 10 respondents strongly agreed, and 22
respondents (36.8%) remained neutral on the subject. Two people (2.6%) disagreed with our
statement, and four (5.3%) strongly disagreed (see Figure 3).
We also enquired if they thought that people refrain from getting tattoos because of
society's view of tattoos (Tse, Firmin, Angelini, & Foster, 2012), with the majority (43.4%)
of our participants stating that they agreed. Five people (21.1%) strongly agreed, 25% chose
to remain neutral on the topic, six individuals (7.9%) disagreed, and two (2.6%) strongly
disagreed (see Figure 4).
Another question that we posed to our target group was if those with tattoos are
portrayed as social outcasts (Rebellious, members of gangs, more likely to commit crimes)
(Jennifer, 2016). The responses were mainly split between the 23.7% who strongly disagreed
and the 30.3% who agreed with the statement. Ten respondents (13.2%) disagreed, 15
(19.7%) were not inclined either way, and at 13.2%, five people strongly agreed (see Figure
5).
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College Students’ Perception of Tattoos
Figure 5: Those with tattoos are portrayed as social outcasts (Rebellious, members of gangs,
more likely to commit crimes) (Jennifer, 2016).
Additionally, we enquired if college students think about the consequences of having
a tattoo before getting one (Dickson, Dukes, Smith, & Strapko, 2015). Twenty-six of our
respondents (34.2%) were neutral on the subject, while 27.6% and 13.2% were inclined
towards agreeing and strongly agreeing respectively. On the other end of the scale, 14
(18.4%) persons disagreed, and five (6.6%) strongly disagreed (see Figure 6).
We were curious to find out if college students thought that a person's chances of
getting a job affected their decision to get a tattoo (Lim, Ting, Leo & Jayanthy,
2013).Twenty-six (34.2%) of our participants agreed with the remark, with 19 (25%) strongly
agreeing. 24 (31.6%) had no particular inclination on the subject, while five (6.6%)
disagreed, and two (2.6%) strongly disagreed with the statement (see Figure 7).
Figure 7: A person's chances of getting a job affects their decision to get a tattoo (Lim, Ting,
Leo & Jayanthy, 2013).
We asked the participants of our survey if they were interested in getting a tattoo
(Walzer & Sanjurjo, 2016). At 55.3%, the majority of them answered “yes”. Fourteen
(18.4%) people responded with “maybe”, while 20 (26.3%) were firmly against it, answering
22
College Students’ Perception of Tattoos
“No” (see Figure 8). In relation to the previous question, we examined what factors would
influence respondents’ decision to get a tattoo (Joyce, Tammy, & Kiser, 2015). Sixty-three
(82.9%) selected “meaning” as a determinant, with design being an element for 39 (51.3%)
participants (see Figure 9). Inversely, when asked what factors would influence their decision
to not get a tattoo (Dickson, Dukes, Smith, & Strapko, 2015), the possibility of regret
(60.5%), chances of employment (48.7%), and health risks (40.8%) were the top three
reasons chosen by our respondents (see Figure 10).
Figure 9: Factors that influence respondents’ decision to get a tattoo.
The last question in our survey asked participants for their opinion of tattoos. Forty-
six (60.5%) viewed it as “a social trend that is here to stay”, and 24 (31.6%) saw tattoos as “a
social challenge that must be resolved”. Six (7.9%) dismissed tattoos as “a social fad that will
be disregarded in time” (see Figure 11).
23
College Students’ Perception of Tattoos
Figure 3: How people with tattoos are accepted depends on whether they live in Asian or
Western oriented societies (Kang & Jones, 2007).
Figure 4: People refrain from getting tattoos because of society's view of tattoos (Tse, Firmin,
Angelini, & Foster, 2012).
24
College Students’ Perception of Tattoos
Figure 6: College students think about the consequences of having a tattoo before getting one
(Dickson, Dukes, Smith, & Strapko, 2015).
Figure 8: Respondents’ interest in getting a tattoo.
Figure 10: Factors that influence respondents’ decision to not get a tattoo.
25
College Students’ Perception of Tattoos
Figure 11: Participants’ opinions of tattoos.
c. Comparison data
From our survey, we chose three key pieces of data that we thought to be the most
intriguing. When we asked our respondents for their opinion on tattoos and compared this to
the presence of tattoos on their bodies, we discovered that 44 of those who did not have
tattoos perceived tattoos as a social trend that is here to stay. However, it must be noted that
the majority of our participants (88.3%) do not have tattoos. Twenty of those who do not
have body ink are of the mind that tattoos are a social challenge that must be resolved.
Interestingly, six respondents who have tattoos also agree with the statement, with them
giving the most respondents out of all tattooed participants. Four of our respondents who are
not tattooed think that it is a social fad that will be disregarded in time (see Figure 1).
26
College Students’ Perception of Tattoos
Figure 1: The respondents’ opinions on tattoos viewed against their ownership of tattoos.
We looked at the opinion of the participants towards whether those with tattoos are
portrayed as social outcasts, correlating this to their religious beliefs. We learned that while
eight Buddhists disagree with this statement, 11 Christians agreed with the perception, with
the coefficient of determination R^2 having a value of 0.0682. Christians also proved to have
the most neutral opinion when posed with the statement, with five of them responding as
such. Additionally, there was no particular religion that strongly agreed that people with
tattoos are portrayed as social outcasts. However, unlike Buddhists, no one religious group
disagreed strongly or disagreed with the statement (see Figure 2).
27
College Students’ Perception of Tattoos
Figure 2: Participants’ response to whether those with tattoos are seen as social outcasts.
As mentioned previously, most of our respondents do not currently have tattoos, and
22 of them responded neutrally when asked if people choose tattoo designs more for their
appearance than because they are personally meaningful. On the other hand, three of our
participants who do have a tattoo agree that aesthetics influence the choice of design more
than a tattoo’s possible meaning, shedding some light on their reasoning for acquiring their
tattoo. Two participants with more more than one tattoo also think that people choose tattoo
designs more for the way they look than because they hold a certain meaning (see Figure 3).
28
College Students’ Perception of Tattoos
Figure 3: Respondents’ views on people choosing tattoo designs more for the way they look
than because they hold a certain meaning.
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College Students’ Perception of Tattoos
Discussion
2. Our original hypothesis was that college students perceive tattoos as a sign of
deviance. However, it was inconclusive, with primary reasons such as the overly indirect
nature of the survey questions and the contrast between college students’ personal views and
perception of what is socially acceptable contributing to the aforementioned ambivalence.
Our survey questions were too vague, and as a result participants may not have
understood their meaning. Several of our queries garnered high ambiguous answers, with
respondents choosing to neither agree or disagree with the statement provided, and we could
possibly have acquired more diverse results if the wording of our questions had been simpler
and more straightforward. Beyond this, the indirectness of our statements may have resulted
in them becoming leading questions, which would have affected the way our participants
responded to the questions. For example, the statement that those with visible tattoos are less
likely to be employed, even if they are qualified for the job (Caster, 2015) already implies
that the odds of employment are against those with tattoos that can be seen. As such, the
contradicting answers of our participants could be attributed in part to the impreciseness of
our questions.
The conflict regarding our respondent’s personal vision of tattoos and what they deem
to be socially acceptable was a deciding aspect in our survey. When asked if people choose
tattoo designs more for the way they look than because they hold a certain meaning (Park,
2015), 22 (28.6%) agreed that individuals did do so. However, 64 (83.1%) of the same survey
group cited meaning as a factor that would influence their own decision to obtain body ink.
We are lead to summarise that though college students may personally consider meaning to
be an important point to regard when discussing tattoos, they still largely conform to the
“herd mentality” of society, which paints tattoos as a social taboo, especially in Asian-
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College Students’ Perception of Tattoos
oriented countries. Thus, when asked about tattoos in relation to other people, they may
choose to answer in a particular way as to conform to the larger community, but when put in
a personal context, they are more comfortable responding with their personal perceptions.
We can conclude that there are areas of our Independent Study Unit which should
have been better done, and would have contributed to the overall effectiveness of our survey.
Despite this, we feel that our survey garnered interesting results, and showed how college
students are influenced by both the longstanding stigmas surrounding tattoos and the effects
of globalisation, which has changed their mindset of what is traditionally seen as socially
acceptable and what is not. As such, we think that college students see tattoos as a form of
deviance when discussed in the context of society, but personally view them as a meaningful
form of self-expression.
3. The research question that we formed was if tattoos gave college students a
perception of deviance, or if they were seen as a meaningful form of self-expression. It was
not answered with our survey, with determinants including the longstanding stereotypes
surrounding those with tattoos, transculturation, the Asian-oriented nationalities of
participants, respondents’ religious beliefs, and the difference in viewpoint regarding tattoos
when in relation to oneself and others influencing the participants’ responses.
Among the factors that affected our participants’ answers were the enduring
stereotypes regarding tattooed individuals and transculturation. Society’s negative attitude
towards those with tattoos has endured for centuries, and through our survey we found that
the post-millennial generation are aware of the prejudices surrounding body ink. Out of 76
respondents, 34 (44.2%) agreed that people refrain from getting tattoos because of society's
view of tattoos (Tse, Firmin, Angelini, & Foster, 2012), revealing that college students are
aware that the social taboos of society remain a significant factor in one’s decision-making
31
College Students’ Perception of Tattoos
process. However, transculturation has emerged as a defining influence in college students’
lives, with exposure to Western culture influencing their mindsets and attitudes. It is this
more accepting mindset that we perceive to have impacted their notion regarding body ink
(Leader, 2015), with 47 (61%) of them thinking of tattoos as a social trend that is here to stay,
in contrast to the 24 (31.2%) who view it as a social challenge that must be resolved. We can
interpret that transculturation has affected the view of some college students in regards to the
deviant opinion of tattoos, though the classic molds created about those with tattoos are still
strongly held by many in this Asian region.
Additionally, the overwhelming number of our respondents were from Asian sectors
of the world, and we believe that their religious beliefs were instrumental aspects in their
answers. Those who come from Asia are generally more conservative when it comes to
subjects that are regarded as taboo, and body ink is predominantly seen as one of them. With
68 of our participants identifying themselves as Asians from countries such as Malaysia,
Myanmar, and Korea, their responses show that they are aware of the social stigmas
surrounding tattoos. 32 (41.6%) of them agreed and 11 (14.3%) strongly agreed when we
posed the statement “How people with tattoos are accepted depends on whether they live in
Asian or Western oriented societies” (Kang & Jones, 2007), making their knowledge of their
cultural anathemas known. This has correlation to our respondents’ religious beliefs, as
predominant religions such as Christianity and Islamism prohibiting the act of inking one’s
skin. With 24 (31.2%) Christian, 20 (26%) Buddhist, and 10 (13%) atheist respondents as the
three primary religious groups found in our survey, we have no doubt that they were in some
part influenced by their religion when giving their responses. The opinion of our respondents
regarding whether those with tattoos are portrayed as social outcasts (Jennifer, 2016) was
compared to their religious beliefs, and it was found that 11 of the 24 (31.2%) participants
who agreed with the statement identified as Christian, while eight of the 18 (23.4%) who
32
College Students’ Perception of Tattoos
strongly disagreed were Buddhist. Evidently, the geographical location of residence and the
influence of religion swayed the way participants responded to our survey questions, and
their different perception of tattoos in different contexts had a part in this as well.
It is the difference in viewpoint regarding tattoos in relation to oneself and others that
we think plays a pivotal role in the answers given by our respondents. When thought of in the
context of the greater public, the majority of our respondents separated themselves and their
personal feelings from the situation, regarding it objectively, Twenty-two (28.6%) agreed that
people choose tattoo designs more for the way they look than because they hold a certain
meaning (Park, 2015). However, when posed with a question that asked for their own
personal opinion, their answers were contradictory. We asked our respondents to choose
factors that would influence their decision to get a tattoo (Joyce, Tammy, & Kiser, 2015), and
with 64 (83.1%) votes, meaning was one of the most cited reasons. The conflicting answers
were due to how people perceive situations where they themselves are factored in, and where
they are not. Thus, we were left with biased results, as it is likely that our participants
responded differently because of this separation of ideals.
We conclude that college students see tattoos as both a sign of deviance and as a
meaningful form of self-expression, with many of the pluralist generation shedding the
stereotypes perpetuated by the generations before them. There were many determinants that
impacted our respondents’ answers, with the longstanding stereotypes surrounding those with
tattoos, transculturation, the Asian-oriented nationalities of participants, respondents’
religious beliefs, and the difference in viewpoint regarding tattoos when in relation to oneself
and others being the most significant aspects. It is in part due to these influences on our
participants’ responses that we were unable to discern a definitive result.
33
College Students’ Perception of Tattoos
4. The results of our survey were generally similar to what we discovered in stage 2 and
3. Despite the differing geographical locations in which our survey and the majority of our
research was conducted in, Kang & Jones (2007) discovered that the social contexts in which
people inhibit shape the responses and interpretations of their tattoos by others. Similarly, our
participants are conscious of the difference one’s societal context makes when it comes to the
acceptance of tattooed individuals, 32 (41.6%) of them agreeing that how people with tattoos
are accepted depends on whether they live in Asian or Western oriented societies. In addition
to that, our survey showed that 44.2% of the college students who answered our survey
agreed with the sentiment that people refrain from getting tattoos because of society's view
regarding them. This matched up to the information we learnt in stage 2 and 3, where Tse,
Firmin, Angelini, and Foster (2012) had found that social stigmas were one of the outside
influences that play a key role in the choice of college students’ acquisition of body art.
Furthermore, 22 (28.6%) of our respondents were inclined to agree that people choose tattoo
designs more for the way they look than because they hold a certain meaning. Park’s (2015)
findings that young Koreans placed more emphasis on the appearance and aesthetics of their
tattoo than the significance behind it were further supported, as it is apparent that the post-
millennial generation are more concerned about appearances than personal significance in the
case of body ink. Interestingly, there was a notable divergence in the responses our
participants gave when faced with the statement that those with tattoos are portrayed as social
outcasts, with there being 42 participants split between strongly disagreeing (18, 23.4%) and
agreeing (24, 31.2%) with the comment presented, because of their different perception of
body art. This correlates to Jennifer’s (2016) report that tattoos are a catalyst for prejudices,
stigmatization, and stereotyping in the workplace, as reflected by society’s negative view of
tattooed individuals. When we proposed that college students think about the consequences
of having a tattoo before getting one, 26 (33.8%) replied neutrally, but a considerable amount
34
College Students’ Perception of Tattoos
of our participants (27.3%) agreed with the statement, due to the awareness of college
students regarding social taboos in the present day. This is comparable to Dickson, Dukes,
Smith, and Strapko’s (2015) findings that college students only get their first tattoo after
much deliberation. Moreover, 26 of our participants (33.8%) concurred with a person's
chances of getting a job being affected by their decision to get a tattoo, which matches up to
the analysis of one’s employment opportunities as an notable element in the discussion of
body modification (Lim, Ting, Leo, & Jayanthy, 2013). Societal stigmas regarding tattoos
still maintain a powerful amount of control over civilisation as a whole, and subversively
influences our generation’s correlation between employability and the presence of body ink
on oneself. With regard to the aforementioned inquiry and result, it was only natural that
many (37.7%) would agree when asked if those with visible tattoos are less likely to be
employed, even if they are qualified for the job, revealing that post-millennials are
knowledgeable about the importance of appearance to prospective employers, and thus are
conscious of the repercussions of having visible body art. We found this reflectful of Caster’s
(2015) examination that employers held feelings of antipathy towards individuals with
tattoos, and would be more likely to hire a prospective employee who did not have body ink
as opposed to one who did, even if the person who was not tattooed held a lower qualification
than the person who did have body art. As 42 of our 76 respondents (54.5%) expressed
interest in getting a tattoo, we can attribute their response to the influence of the media’s
portrayal of body ink in popular culture, along with the growing interest surrounding
appearances amongst college students (Walzer & Sanjurjo, 2016). Among the reasons they
selected when asked what would influence their decision to get a tattoo were the meaning of
the tattoo to them (83.1%), its design (51.9%), and its cost (23.4%), showing similarity to
Joyce, Tammy, and Kiser’s (2015) research regarding the role of outside influences in the
decision making procedure of individuals looking to acquire body art. Their choice of
35
College Students’ Perception of Tattoos
meaning over appearance was contrary response to one of our previous questions, and we
pinpointed it to the difference between their own outlook on tattoos and what is conceived to
be socially acceptable. When asked what factors would influence their decision to not get a
tattoo, our respondents largely chose the possibility of regret (61%), chances of employment
(49.4%), and health risks surrounding tattoos (40.3%) as their reasons, an almost perfect
match to Dickson, Dukes, Smith, and Strapko’s (2015) findings that health worries,
inadequate sources, and issues of permanency were the main reasons why non-tattooed
college students abstain from getting tattooed.We queried our participants on which group of
factors they thought was more likely to affect an individual’s decision to get tattooed, and the
majority of them (68.8%) chose internal factors over external factors, something that did not
quite match up to our research that both internal and external impressions and influences
connect to one’s remorse over obtaining a tattoo or other body art, despite there being
independence in the actual decision and acquisition (Joyce, Tammy, & Kiser, 2015). We
believe that our participants regard the possibility of regret as an incentive to obtain
permanent body ink only when the desire to do so comes from within oneself. In the case of
religion and culture, it is apparent that the regulations in beliefs and conventions of a portion
of our respondents (37.7%) are deemed by them as what prohibits the acquisition of body art.
As our survey was carried out amongst college students in Malaysia, where the dominant
religion is Malay, and due to the majority of our respondents (31.2%) identifying themselves
as of Christian belief, it is natural that some of them respond in this manner as permanent
tattooing is outlawed in these religions (Moorthy, Gunasekaram & Asmuje, 2015). Our final
question dealt with the opinion of college students on tattoos, and the majority of our
respondents (61%) stated that they regard it as a social trend that is here to stay. The plethora
of the positively aligned replies indicate that the current generation are more accepting of this
so-called “cultural deviance”, as they do not connect adverse actions to those who are
36
College Students’ Perception of Tattoos
tattooed, a reflection of Leader’s (2015) research project that examined and identified tattoos
as a shared cultural experience, rather as a fad or a symptom.
The information collected from our survey, as well as the research we compiled,
shows that the typically unfavourable view of tattoos is a perspective that is taken into
account when studying the topic of body art. Despite being aware of this stereotype, young
adults continue to obtain tattoos disregarding the deviant connotations tattoos hold to the rest
of humankind, especially the older generation, in favour of exercising their right of self-
expression.
5. While there was little to no bias in our survey, the results that we obtained were
influenced due to the societal context in which our respondents reside, their religious beliefs,
and the age group of our target respondents. An overwhelming majority of our participants
were of Asian nationalities, and the longstanding taboo against tattoos was a significant
aspect in their answers. Many of the answers we obtained were a result of the stereotypes
surrounding tattoos in Asian cultures, as seen through our respondents’ agreement that those
with visible tattoos are less likely to be employed, even if they are qualified for the job
(Caster, 2015). The religion of our participants was also a powerful element that created bias
in our survey results. Christianity was the religion that most of our participants identified as
following, and the forbiddance of Christians to mark their skin with ink is a large quantifier
to the responses of some of our Christian participants. Moreover, the age range of our target
group, college students, comprised of post-millennials, who tend to be more responsive and
accepting of social trends that may have been considered “deviant” by the generations before
them. With the advent of globalisation and the far-reaching nature of the Internet,
respondents are more exposed to different mindsets and worldviews than any generation
before them at the same age. These demographics were vital in revealing the motivation
behind the biased nature of our results.
37
College Students’ Perception of Tattoos
In the future, we would conduct more academic-based research, and phrase our
questions to elicit definitive responses from our participants and answer our research
question. By looking at more scholarly studies, we would be able to develop an even greater
knowledge and understanding of our topic. We could also discover interesting facts and
statistics that would contribute to the research of our topic. Moreover, by rewording our
questions to force our respondents to be objective in their answers, it would result in the
collection of interesting and varied data. It would also be possible to gain a clear answer to
our research question, instead of concluding it as ambivalent.
6. Our Challenge and Change in Society Independent Study Unit (ISU) on society’s
perception of tattoos was ultimately a labour of love that remained consistent over the course
of this semester. Although we struggled with gathering relevant academic research on our
topic, doing our ISU as a partnership helped to alleviate the workload significantly. We
learned about the importance of proper research, which ultimately assisted us in forming in-
depth survey questions. In addition to that, through our survey we discovered that college
students are more welcoming towards individuals who diverge from the social norms put in
place of centuries. We found out that religion remains a compelling power in the lives of
society’s members. It was entertaining to receive the responses of those who took our survey,
especially as we were able to collect 76 unique sets of answers. It was also enjoyable for us to
collaborate with one another, as our differing perspectives on tattoos made for thought-
provoking discussion and created new angles in which we could approach this ISU. We
found it interesting to study the answers given by our survey’s participants, as some of the
responses we collected defied our expectations and proved to be points of great interest to us.
38
College Students’ Perception of Tattoos
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