Kelsey McKinney

Portfolio WP2
Writing 2
03/17/2016
Is It All In Our Heads? Or is Society Trying To Take Tattoos Down?
Tattoos come in myriad shapes, colors, and sizes. Each has a different meaning or
interpretation for the person receiving the tattoo, but what is the purpose? Why do people get
tattoos? Many different academic disciplines have studied tattoos. For example in sociology
researchers study the social significance, while in psychology researchers look at the possible
psychological implications of receiving a tattoo. Psychology and sociology both take different
approaches to studying topics, interpreting and displaying their evidence in different ways. When
researching why people receive tattoos, the differences in approach to the topic are clear when
looking at texts from both disciplines. The arguments and evidence presented in the sociology
article why do people get tattoos? are much more convincing than those given in the psychology
article The Relationship of Tattoos to Personality Disorders. The psychological approach makes
claims that are not properly supported by the evidence given, some insinuating correlation
without proof, or insinuating correlation without causation. While the sociological approach
incorporates evidence that clearly supports and relates to its claims. Through implementing
research from outside academic sources, information gathered through researching the topic
overall, and compelling first hand accounts related to the claims presented, the sociological
article is able to influence the reader to believe the principle claims.
Why do people get tattoos? Is an article featured in the magazine Contexts. This article
takes a sociological approach to why people receive tattoos. The article argues that people

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receive tattoos to express themselves to other humans through their bodies, but these expressions
are often misinterpreted. (Kang, Miliann) This article uses multiple resources and methods to
gather its evidence and then present it. The methods that the authors use to find evidence include
interviews, and research. The research gathered is through statistical analysis of tattoos, outside
academic research, and outside articles. The statistical analysis included statistics on the growth
of the tattoo industry, the prevalence of tattoos and the kinds of people that have them, and how
others perceive tattoos. These statistics all come from outside research, and are implemented at
various points within the paper to provide relevant support for different claims. Other researched
materials include academic studies about tattoos, specifically who has tattoos, the implications of
tattoos, and the results of having tattoos. Historical research is also implemented to provide
background. To supplement the outside research, the authors include interviews conducted with a
tattoo artist and people who have tattoos.
In contrast, a psychological approach to the subject of tattoos is taken in the article The
Relationship of Tattoos to Personality Disorders. Within this article the author argues that tattoos
are correlated with personality disorders and are often caused by a personality disorder whether
or not one is present at the current point in time. (Post, Richard S) This article uses methods of
research and statistics similar to the previous article mentioned. The research is done mainly in
the fields of criminology, psychology, and history. Statistics and facts come from the actual
physiology of tattoos, including where they are often placed and what they look like, from the
proportions of people who receive tattoos, and the amount of tattoos that are done freehanded vs.
with a machine.
Furthermore, the methods used in both disciplines are similar and different. For example,
the sociological example uses interviews and quotations while the psychological example does

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not. In the sociological example the interviews are used to demonstrate a more personal view of
the topic. The interviews are done with different people that have tattoos and the different
experiences that they have had after obtaining the tattoos. Quotes are used in conjunction with
different topics to give a personal perspective. For example in the section about tattooed youth
one woman is quoted saying, I want everyone to know that Im sick of being told what to do
and how to look. (Kang, Miliann) This quote is powerful in the context of why college students,
and specifically women choose to get tattoos. It gives an example of how one woman wants to
express that she wants to make her own choices about the way that she looks. This supports the
central thesis that people get tattoos in order to express something about themselves to others.
Considering that the evidence supports the thesis, the evidence presented through interviews
adds to the convincing nature of the article.
While only the sociological article employs the use of interviews, both disciplines
incorporate outside research into their evidence and arguments. Within the psychological
example the author uses facts and conclusions from a few different studies, one being a study
done on people in mental institutions. The study looks at the difference in location, number, and
context of tattoos on people with schizophrenia, personality disorders and the differences
between the two. Patterns were found within patients with personality disorders, and separate
patterns were found among patients with schizophrenia. The research concludes that
schizophrenic patients attributed their tattoos to something otherworldly while the patients with
personality disorders often had tattoos that expressed a deviance from normal culture. (Post,
Richard S) The study was indeed interesting, but lacked evidence that supported the argument of
the article itself. While it demonstrated that there were correlations between patients with tattoos
and personality disorders, it failed to demonstrate how there was any causation between the two,

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or how there was a positive or negative correlation. The study only mentioned that the
Schizophrenic patients had similar ideas behind their tattoos and for the patients with personality
disorders, but gave no indication of when the tattoos were received. It is therefore unclear if the
patient first exhibited signs of schizophrenia or a personality disorder and then received the
tattoo, or if the order was reversed. The article also failed to mention a test group to verify the
validity of the study. This study was also included in the section of the article dedicated to the
psychological significance of tattoos and is featured right before the conclusion. Research that
more strongly supports correlation between personality disorders and tattoos by introducing a
test group, or multiple studies in different places, would have been more effective in reinforcing
the topic of this section.
On the other hand, the sociological article provided research that proved very relevant
and convincing to the central argument. One example of research done within the sociological
article is about how recruiters perceived students with tattoos when looking for possible
employees. The study shows that ninety percent of recruiters looked negatively on tattoos.
(Kang, Miliann) Featuring a study on perceptions of tattoos accurately supports one of the two
main claims that the authors are attempting to make. The claim being that tattoos are often
misinterpreted from the actual meaning behind them and seen negatively despite information
showing otherwise. The students were often perceived as being gang members, or having bad
behavior. This study blatantly supports the point and the research is implemented into the article
in a spot where the authors are making the claim that tattoos can incite discrimination, further
strengthening the power of the research.
Returning to the psychological example, some of the research used in other sections of
the article was a bit more effective then the first example. To illustrate this point, research done

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with navy applicants was used more effectively then some of the other research in emphasizing
and supporting the final claim. The research was about the correlation between applicants with
tattoos and being rejected on the basis of unstable personality, and those without tattoos and
being rejected on the basis of unstable personality. This research showed that sailors with more
tattoos were more likely to be rejected based on psychological factors than sailors without
tattoos. (Post, Richard S) While this evidence shows that there is a difference between the two
groups, and that there might be a possible correlation, it does not show causation between
personality disorders and having more than one tattoo. Furthermore, this research could also
show that there is a correlation between tattoos and being rejected and not necessarily that there
is a correlation between tattoos and a personality disorder. There is no evidence presented that
demonstrates the candidates were dismissed based on the actual personality disorder instead of
the presence of the tattoo itself. Therefore, while the evidence is somewhat successful, it doesnt
support the claim that the article is attempting to make entirely. To improve the claim it would be
helpful to include evidence that these sailors actually did have personality disorders and not just
that they were said to have had them. The personality disorder could have been a perception
based on the tattoo, rather than an accurate diagnosis.
Statistics are another type of evidence used within both disciplines. Within the sociology
article, statistics are employed to give back ground information on the amount of people that
have tattoos. It gives percentages on the amount of adults with tattoos, young adults with tattoos,
and the percentage of people that know someone with a tattoo. (Kang, Miliann) While this
doesnt necessarily address the claim directly, its purpose within the larger scheme of the paper
is clear. A growing proportion of people are receiving tattoos. This argues for the relevance of

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the research and the relevance of the article itself. It provides the foundation for the claim of why
people get tattoos by showing that the numbers of people receiving tattoos is growing.
While the statistics are used in the sociological article to provide a background for the
information to follow, the psychological article delivers its statistics in a slightly different way.
For example, within this article statistics on the amount of people in prison for a certain crime
that had tattoos were used as evidence. (Post, Richard S) These statistics stated that over half of
white men in prison for crimes such as murder, robbery, and sex crimes had tattoos. (Post,
Richard S) While these statistics do indeed show a correlation between having tattoos and being
in prison, it does not provide evidence as to how many of these men have personality disorders,
and if there even is a correlation between the men with personality disorders and having tattoos.
The article employs statistics in a way that addresses the overall claim more effectively then the
sociological article, which only uses statistics as background. However, the evidence presented
shows correlation but no causation and doesnt show a correlation for the actual claim that
psychological disorders are the cause of tattoos.
Another aspect of the sociological article that makes it convincing is the idea that it
implements not only the sociological aspect of external interpretation and how tattoos are often
misinterpreted, but it also looks at how the internal interpretations have psychological
implements as well. Within the article the authors include the idea that tattoos are expressions of
oneself to others. Along with this they include the ideas that tattoos are often used as ways for
people to get in touch with themselves. This claim is demonstrated through two different pieces
of evidence. The first is an interview done with a tattooed man. He states, Ripping up your body
with tattoos is a way of getting in touch with yourself. (Kang, Millian) This quote serves to
present the idea that tattoos have personal meaning, and they provide a way for someone to

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psychologically identify with himself or herself. This quote accurately supports the claim that
tattoos can be used as an inward tool as well as a way to outwardly express something. The
attribution of more than one cause for receiving tattoos is more convincing then the limited view
presented within the psychological article.
When looking at the different types of evidence presented and how they were presented it
is clear that the evidence within both articles is similar. However, the implementation of the
evidence is different and both have very different levels of effectiveness. The sociological article
did well to make sure that evidence was presented in places where it would prove to be most
relevant and make the most impact on the reader. On the other hand the evidence in the
psychological article seemed to be presented in a more haphazard way and was not always
supportive of the section within the article or the article as a whole. The sociological article uses
the interviews to take a more personal approach to the subject and appeals to the pathos of the
reader. Readers are able to identify with or empathize with the person being quoted. Different
research is included to appeal to the ethos of the reader, professors, universities, or other
prestigious sources do the research. This shows that the research is going to be done in a
methodical and tested way, that there will be controls and multiple experiments, therefore
readers are able to feel comfortable in trusting the research implemented. Authors of the article
also include statistics appealing to the logos of the reader. Statistics are logical and make sense to
whomever is reading them because they are easy to interpret and provide a quick look at
information. The psychological article has similar reasoning for implementing the kind of
evidence that it did, however the evidence was presented in a less effective way. Therefore the
impact of the evidence, and the intended purpose was often missed.

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Overall the sociological article was more effective in presenting and supporting it

argument. Through the use of interviews, statistics, and thorough research, the authors were able
to present the information in a convincing way. Readers are intrigued and are guided through
each point that the article makes by different forms of evidence. The sociological approach
makes clear claims and supports the claims with specific evidence. While the psychological
article was interesting, the evidence presented was not nearly as effective and failed to compel
the reader to believe in the final conclusion. The psychological approach failed to properly
support the specific claims made and the evidence presented often did not match the claim it was
reinforcing therefore, the sociological approach was indeed superior.

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Works Cited

Kang, Miliann, and Katherine Jones. "Why do People Get Tattoos?" Contexts Winter 2007: 42.
ProQuest. Web. 11 Feb. 2016 .
Post, Richard S.. The Relationship of Tattoos to Personality Disorders. The Journal of
Criminal Law, Criminology, and Police Science 59.4 (1968): 516524. Web...

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Abstract
After conducting research in the topic of why people get tattoos I am left with many

questions. One that has specifically stuck is the question of how does the age of the person
receiving a tattoo influence why they are getting the tattoo. If I were to go about answering this
question I would conduct surveys with different age groups to see the proportions of people that
have tattoos, and then ask about the different reasons as to why they have those tattoos.
Interviews with different people that know people with tattoos as well as interviews with tattoo
artists and people with tattoos could all help to widen my understanding of the question and lead
to an answer. Research on the topic could also be done through past articles on why people
receive tattoos. I think that this is an important aspect of the topic to look at because people that
received tattoos 40 years ago had a different life, and a different society around them to influence
the choices that they have made about their tattoos.