37th Annual Student Research Conference
College Students’ Perceptions of Individuals with Tattoos
Claire E. Goldsby
Dr. Anton Daughters, Faculty Mentor
Tattoos have become more popular in recent years, despite once being primarily used by prisoners, sailors, and men in the military. Prior research suggests that current societal attitudes towards tattoos reflect the history of tattoos as symbols of criminality and outsider groups. While there are several studies that have documented attitudes towards tattoos in different contexts, such as in the job market, in the courtroom, and in religious settings, little research has focused on the attitudes of the college-aged demographic towards tattoos overall. I conducted a survey with students at Truman State University to address the following research questions: How do college students rate people with tattoos on various traits? Do the racial, gender, or sexual identities of the participants affect how they respond to individuals with tattoos?
Keywords: Tattoos
Topic(s):Sociology
Presentation Type: Oral Presentation
Session: 202-2
Location: SUB Georgian Room A
Time: 10:45