Three in Ten Americans with a Tattoo Say Having One Makes Them Feel Sexier
Just under Half of Adults without a Tattoo Say Those with One are Less Attractive
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – February 12, 2008 – Tattoos are a much discussed form of body art. Who has them?
How many do they have and what do they mean? And, what does having a tattoo make people feel/do
differently? Currently, 14 percent of the population says they have a tattoo, just slightly down from 2003, when 16
percent had a tattoo. Certain groups are more likely to have a tattoo then others. One in five (20%) of those who
live in the West have a tattoo, compared to just 10 percent of those who live in the Midwest.
Among age groups, one-third (32%) of those ages 25-29 and one-quarter (25%) of those 30-39 have tattoos, as
do 12 percent of those 40-49. The youngest age group (18-24) is one of the age groups least likely to have a
tattoo (9%), the same as the oldest age group of 65 and older. Men are just slightly more likely to have a tattoo
than women (15% versus 13%) and Democrats are a little more likely to have tattoos (15%) than Republicans
and Independents (13% each).
These are some of the results of a nationwide Harris Poll of 2,302 U.S. adults surveyed online between January
15 and 22, 2008 by Harris Interactive .
®
Not Many Regrets
Most people with a tattoo do not regret getting it (84%). As to why they have this regret, one in five (20%) say it‟s
because they were too young when they got the tattoo while 19 percent say it‟s because it is permanent and they
are market for life. Others say they regret the tattoo because they don‟t like it (18%) while 16 percent regret their
tattoo because they fade over time.
How Tattoos Make People Feel
When presented with eight different personal characteristics, majorities say that compared to not having a tattoo,
having one makes them feel no different. This is especially true when attributed to being healthy, athletic or
intelligent, where more than nine in ten with tattoos say it makes no difference in how they feel. Over one-third
(36%) of those with a tattoo, however, saying having it makes them feel more rebellious, up from 29 percent who
felt this way in 2003, and three in ten (31%) say the tattoo makes then feel sexy. One in five (19%) each say
having the tattoo makes them feel attractive and strong.
What People Without Tattoos Think About People With Them
One-third of those without a tattoo (32%) say people with tattoos are more likely to do something most people
would consider deviant compared to 12 percent of those with a tattoo who say the same. Two-thirds (67%) of
those without a tattoo say having a tattoo makes no difference in whether someone would do something deviant.
Over half of those without a tattoo (54%) do believe that someone with one is more rebellious, almost the same as those who thought this in 2003 (57%).
While those with a tattoo may think it makes them look attractive, those without do not agree as just under half
(47%) say people with tattoos are less attractive (up from 42% who felt this way in 2003) and two in five (39%) of
those without one, say people with a tattoo are less sexy. Just about one-quarter of those without tattoos, say
those with are less intelligent (27%) and less healthy (25%).
What About Piercings and Henna Tattoos?
This year we also asked about other things people might have. First, half of all adults have pierced ears (50%)
while half do not have them (50%). When it comes to other types of piercings, the number drops drastically. Just
5 percent of adults have a piercing on their body, but not on their face, while 2 percent of adults have a piercing
on their face, but not their ears. The number of adults who have a henna tattoo, that is tattoos that are not
permanent, is also very small, just two percent.
There is a difference among those who have tattoos and those who do not among these other items. Two-thirds
(65%) of those with a tattoo have pierced ears compared to 47 percent of those who do not have tattoos. Other
piercings are also more common among those with tattoos as 16 percent have something on their body, but not
on their face, pierced and 6 percent have a piercing on their face, but not their ears compared to just 3 percent
and 1 percent respectively of those with no tattoo.
So What?
In the past five years, much has been discussed about the stigmas of those with tattoos. But, that does not seem
to have much of an impact of the number of people who have them as just 2 percent fewer Americans say they
have tattoos. Also, the number who regrets their tattoo has also not really changed in the past five years. But, if
the number of the youngest age group continues to shun tattoos, and that continues as younger teens hit 18,
there may be a change in those having tattoos in the long run.
The Harris Poll #15, February 12, 2008
By Regina A. Corso, Director, The Harris Poll, Harris Interactive
TABLE 1
WHO HAS TATTOOS?
"How many tattoos do you currently have on your body?"
(People saying "one or more")
2003 2008
Base: All Adults
All Adults 16% 14%
Region
East 14% 12%
Midwest 14% 10%
South 15% 13%
West 20% 20%
Age
18 - 24 13% 9%
25 - 29 36% 32%
30 - 39 28% 25%
40 - 49 14% 12%
50 - 64 10% 8%
65 + 7% 9%
Sex
Male 16% 15%
Female 15% 13%
Race/Ethnicity
White 16% 15%
Black 14% 7%
Hispanic 18% 15%
Party I.D.
Republican 14% 13%
Democratic 18% 15%
Independent 12% 13%
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual 31% 25%
TABLE 2
REGRET HAVING A TATTOO?
"Do you ever regret getting a tattoo?"
Base: Currently Have a Tattoo
2003 2008
Yes 17% 16%
No 83% 84
TABLE 3
WHY REGRET HAVING A TATTOO?
"Why do you regret getting a tattoo?"
Base: Yes, Regret Getting a Tattoo
Too young when I got the tattoo 20%
Permanent (marked for life) 19%
Don‟t like it 18%
They fade over time 16%
Location (too hard to hide) 12%
Poor choice/picked the wrong tattoo 11%
Was stupid/dumb thing to do 10%
Poorly done/doesn‟t look professional 9%
Cost too much to remove 7%
Ugly/doesn‟t look good 7%
Personality changes/doesn‟t fit my present lifestyle 3%
Other 5%
TABLE 4
TATTOOS AND DEVIANT BEHAVIOR
“Do you think people with tattoos are more or less likely to do
something most people would consider deviant?”
Base: All Adults
Totals 2008 - Have tattoo
2003 2008 Have Do not have
More likely 27% 29% 12% 32%
Less likely 2% 2% 3% 1%
No difference 71% 69% 86% 67%
TABLE 5
HOW HAVE A TATTOO MAKES ME FEEL
"Please complete the following sentence:
'Compared to not having a tattoo having a tattoo has made me feel...?'"
Base: Currently Have a Tattoo
More Less No Difference
Intelligent 5% 2% 93%
Sexy 31% 1% 68%
Spiritual 13% 5% 82%
Rebellious 36% 2% 62%
Attractive 19% 3% 78%
Athletic 5% 1% 94%
Healthy 4% 3% 93%
Strong 19% * 81%
Note * indicates less than 0.5%
TABLE 6
HOW HAVE A TATTOO MAKES ME FEEL - TREND
"Please complete the following sentence:
'Compared to not having a tattoo having a tattoo has made me feel...?'"
Those saying more
Base: Currently Have a Tattoo
2003 2008
Rebellious 29% 36%
Sexy 34% 31%
Attractive 26% 19%
Strong 16% 19%
Spiritual 20% 13%
Intelligent 5% 5%
Athletic 3% 5%
Healthy 4% 4%
Note * indicates less than 0.5%
TABLE 7
ATTITUDES OF THOSE WITHOUT A TATTOO
"Please complete the following sentence:
'Compared to people without tattoos, I think people with tattoos are...?'"
Base: All Without Tattoos
More Less No Difference
Intelligent 1% 27% 71%
Sexy 6% 39% 55%
Spiritual 5% 25% 70%
Rebellious 54% 3% 43%
Attractive 4% 47% 49%
Athletic 5% 13% 82%
Healthy 2% 25% 73%
Strong 8% 10% 82%
TABLE 8
ATTITUDES OF THOSE WITHOUT A TATTOO - TREND
"Please complete the following sentence:
'Compared to people without tattoos, I think people with tattoos are...?'"
Base: All Without Tattoos
More Less
2003 2008 2003 2008
Intelligent * 1% 31% 27%
Sexy 8% 6% 36% 39%
Spiritual 3% 5% 29% 25%
Rebellious 57% 54% 2% 3%
Attractive 4% 4% 42% 47%
Athletic 4% 5% 14% 13%
Healthy 1% 2% 21% 25%
Strong 8% 8% 8% 10%
TABLE 9
PIERCINGS AND HENNA TATTOOS
“Do you have any of the following?”
Base: All Adults
Have Do not have Decline to answer
Pierced ears 50% 50% *
A piercing on your body, 5% 95% 1%
but not on your face
Henna tattoos, that is tattoos that 2% 97% 1%
are not permanent
A piercing on your face, but not on 2% 98% 1%
your ears
TABLE 10
PIERCINGS AND HENNA TATTOOS
“Do you have any of the following?”
Those saying have
Base: All Adults
Total Have Do not have
Pierced ears 50% 65% 47%
A piercing on your body, 5% 16% 3%
but not on your face
Henna tattoos, that is tattoos that 2% 3% 2%
are not permanent
A piercing on your face, but not on 2% 6% 1%
your ears
Methodology
This Harris Poll® was conducted online within the United States January 15 and 22, 2008, among 2,302 adults
(aged 18 and over). Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region and household income were weighted
where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting
was also used to adjust for respondents‟ propensity to be online.
All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use probability sampling, are subject to multiple sources of
error which are most often not possible to quantify or estimate, including sampling error, coverage error, error
associated with nonresponse, error associated with question wording and response options, and post-survey
weighting and adjustments. Therefore, Harris Interactive avoids the words “margin of error” as they are
misleading. All that can be calculated are different possible sampling errors with different probabilities for pure,
unweighted, random samples with 100% response rates. These are only theoretical because no published polls
come close to this ideal.
Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in Harris
Interactive surveys. The data have been weighted to reflect the composition of the adult population. Because the
sample is based on those who agreed to participate in the Harris Interactive panel, no estimates of theoretical
sampling error can be calculated.
These statements conform to the principles of
disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.
About Harris Interactive
Harris Interactive is one of the largest and fastest-growing market research firms in the world. The company
provides innovative research, insights and strategic advice to help its clients make more confident decisions
which lead to measurable and enduring improvements in performance. Harris Interactive is widely known for The
Harris Poll, one of the longest running, independent opinion polls and for pioneering online market research
methods. The company has built what it believes to be the world‟s largest panel of survey respondents, the
Harris Poll Online. Harris Interactive serves clients worldwide through its North American, European and Asian
offices, and through a global network of independent market research firms. More information about Harris
Interactive may be obtained at www.harrisinteractive.com.
To become a member of the Harris Poll Online(SM) and
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Press Contact:
Tracey McNerney
Harris Interactive
585-214-7756
The Harris Poll #15, February 12, 2008
By Regina A. Corso, Director, The Harris Poll, Harris Interactive
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