Tattoos used 'to improve appearance'

[Rat-tat-tat]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems...5/s1637040.htm

A Central Queensland University study has found that people who decide to get a tattoo are not doing it to be "socially deviant", but do it to improve their appearance.

The research looked at the views of over 1,000 people aged between 18 and 82 in central and northern Queensland.

The study's author, Leeana Kent, says older studies used to associate people with tattoos with personality disorders and psychosis.

Ms Kent says that is now an outdated view and social exclusion is not the reason why people get tattoos.

"People are doing it because they want to be socially accepted rather than because they're rejecting society's norms and expectations," she said.

"However, having said that, unfortunately negative stereotypes of tattooed individuals still exists in contemporary society."

Ms Kent says she was surprised to find that men without tattoos are more influenced by what they see in the media.

"Non-tattooed males are perhaps reaching the decision to get a tattoo to improve their physical appearance," she said.

"The improvement of physical appearance was mainly associated with females, whereas now this indicates that it's also associated with males."