New Research Reveals What Your Tattoos Say About You

"Despite how visibly common or acceptable tattoos may have become, they are still a target for quick judgment by others. People often make quick assumptions based on a single image or style, or about what someone's tattoo may say about their personality. It's not just the presence of a tattoo that prompts assumptions, but also the kind of tattoo. From the design and size to the placement or style, people often form quick opinions about someone based on the body art they've chosen."

"In the study, researchers studied 274 tattooed adults between the ages of 18 and 70. Each participant completed a well-established personality test and allowed researchers to photograph one or more of their tattoos. This resulted in a collection of 375 images. These photos were then shown to trained psychology raters. Some saw just the image, while others also received a short explanation of the tattoo's meaning."

"It's natural for many to assume that a person's tattoos are a direct mirror of who they are. Given the general permanence of ink, it can feel intuitive to believe that the content, color, or placement of a tattoo reveals something deeper about a person's character. But while that may seem likely, new research finds that people's instincts about this might not be as accurate as they think."

Tattoos are increasingly common, with nearly 32% of American adults reporting at least one tattoo and 22% having more than one. Many people get tattoos for personal and emotional reasons, such as honoring someone, expressing beliefs, or boosting confidence in appearance. Tattoos still provoke rapid social judgments, with observers forming opinions based on design, size, placement, or style. A study photographed 375 tattoos from 274 adults and had trained psychology raters view images, some with brief meanings. Raters used a standard personality scale to infer traits, and the research found that observers' instincts about personality based on tattoos were often inaccurate.

Read at Psychology Today