The Psychology of Tattoos

Tattoos have a interesting and deeply rooted history. A practice that began over 5,000 years ago is still very popular today. A study conducted by Narrative Research found that as of March 2024, 33% of Canadians have a tattoo, interestingly within that 33% it was found women are slightly more likely to have body art then men (38% women to 28% men, respectively).

There are many reasons as to why someone would want a tattoo but the most popular is the formation of a narrative identity. Essentially having moments of your life story expressed through body art, making many tattoos deeply personal and interwoven with how we view ourselves. It appears several studies that analyzed tattooed participants identified that there are 4 overarching themes of tattoos. 

Identity: Expressing the Unique Self 

Most people feel that their tattoos represent a part of themselves. This is consistent with researched needs for uniqueness for many this is a major motivator for getting a tattoo. People often spend time designing their body art to be incredibly personal to represent their individual story. 

Affiliation: Belonging to a Group or Family 

Many use tattoos as a way to show their belonging and connection to extended groups or families. Often it symbolizes the profound impact a group has had on an individuals life story. It has been found that sharing similar tattoos can increase feelings of connectedness to a community or larger identity. An example of this is the semicolon tattoo that is recognized as a symbol for someone who has survived their struggle with mental health challenges including depression and suicidal ideations. 

Reminiscence: Remembering or Honouring events that Molded the Narrative 

Tattoos can be a significant reminder of past events that speak to their impact on the person’s life story. It can be positive or negative experiences that they felt have changes or shaped who they are in the present. Most people find that depicting these events on their bodies give the events a sense of meaning and permanence.  For some these tattoos may include script or words that are particularly meaningful, such as a the words ‘love, Nan’ in a late grandmother’s handwriting. 

Resiliency: Surviving Difficult Times 

Tattoos can also be a celebration of perseverance and survival of life changing events. It is interesting to note that tattoos can be a way of coping with trauma and that they can help bring difficult chapters in life to a close. A study conducted in the United States found that this is true for many sexual violence survivors who’s tattoos were a pathway for them to regain control and autonomy over their bodies and environment. Tattoos were able to act as a non-traditional form of healing. 

Stigma and Stereotypes: Bridging the Gaps

 “You will never be seen as a professional...” Many tattooed young people have heard some variation of this. It is a stronger viewpoint that tends to be maintained by older generations, a stigma that is slow to fade. It seems that older generations tend to see tattoos as less formal, irresponsible and for some, mutilation of the body. These perspectives tend to be rooted in much older views that go beyond their generation. When we look back at history tattoos were associated with sailors, criminals, ‘freak show’ entertainment, gang members and marginalized groups such as Indigenous people. Anyone who identified with any of those communities was viewed as undesirable, or rebellious and by proxy so were tattoos. Interestingly, these perspectives have been pushed to the side for younger generations views which tend to be more accepting of those who are visually different then ourselves.  

Younger generations seem to have a more positive perception of tattoos.  This may be because they are more likely to have tattoos themselves, but also associate tattoos with art and the telling of a personal story . It can also be attributed to a higher likelihood of growing up with parents who are tattooed. This would make tattoos a normal part of their lives from the very beginning. 

What we know is that the social acceptance of tattoos is increasing with every generation and within a short period of time it will be difficult to find any adult without a tattoo.