Canadian economists have surveyed 1104 people with tattoos. The study, published by the Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, was conducted because the researchers were interested in a paradox: despite the fact it’s been proven inked-up individuals are discriminated against in the workplace, tattoos remain a growing trend.
Oddly enough, the results don’t really tell us anything about why people like getting inked. Rather, the study seems to be geared at psychoanalysing or picking-apart the personalities of tattooed people.
The results: people with tattoos are not good at controlling their impulses.
Which, to be fair, probably was the case that one time Ryan Gosling tried to tattoo himself.
It’s hard to see how the study tells us anything at all about the ‘rise’ in tatt popularity. Especially considering its biggest takeaway was that people with visible tattoos are more likely to be “shortsighted” and “reckless”, according to The Times.
Apparently the research process involved dishing out a questionnaire to tattooed people about their finances, health and social life.
I mean, I’m no scientist, but when a thing becomes a “trend” shouldn’t external forces be factored in, too?
The more I get to learn about this study, the more I’m imagining it was conducted by someone’s ultra-conservative uncle.
Respondents to the survey were even asked to complete multiple tests specifically designed to measure their impulsivity. Which seems to imply that people get tattoos solely as an impulsive choice. Nevermind aesthetic value.
The Cognitive Reflection Test measured participant’s impulse control. A payment stimulation also determined whether respondents would hesitate to wait longer to receive a large cash payment as opposed to waiting for a shorter amount of time for a decreased amount of money.
The economists did find something though-they found that Australians are “marking milestones, commitments or life-chapters” by getting a tattoo. And to that I say: tell us something we don’t know.