Levitt’s skepticism notwithstanding, it seems there may be a good reason for some people to get tattoos. David B. Wiseman, a psychologist, showed 128 undergraduate students photographs of tattooed and non-tattooed female models, described as “college instructors.” He found that college students prefer tattoos: “Analyses indicated that the presence of tattoos was associated with some positive changes in ratings: students’ motivation, being imaginative about assignments, and how likely students were to recommend her as an instructor.” (HT: Marginal Revolution) [%comments]
The Value of a Tattoo in Higher Education
and 
. You can also watch it on 
The Value of a Tattoo in Higher Education:
Tatto the Answers to the American History Final on your Forearms and Ace the Test.
I find it fascinating that Young People are far more likely to Tatto their skin PERMANENTLY than to have a Bumper Sticker on their Vehicle TRANSIENTLY.
Why only female models? Was the satisfaction the same across students of both sexes? Could sexual attraction have played a role?
Will the positive first impressions make it past the first bad lecture?
That’s because students assumed that a tattooed instructor would be more likely to be young, and interesting. This study would only be worthwhile if the kids rated the instructors not just based on pictures but based on lectures. Does the tattoo counter some of the dislike of a boring instructor? Does it pep up a mediocre instructor? Does it give a boost to an excellent instructor?
Yes, students think that people with tattoos are less conformist. Shocker.
They preferred an instructor with tattoos. That doesn’t mean that they preferred tattoos; perhaps they thought that a tattooed instructor would teach an easier course?
I would also prefer if my instructor were nude and passed out fudge sundaes at the end of her lectures. I mean what’s the point or discovery of these observations? In education does the most liked or coolest instructor impart the most knowledge? Why not turn on the Simpsons? Would you prefer your doctor sported tattoos? Egads.
This could be run as an experiment using the same people. It’s easy to digitally alter photos to make it look like people have tattoos.
If the experiment were run with both sexes and the same photos (both with and sans tats) then, I think we could draw a conclusion. As it is, there may be other attributes that create a bias… and it’s only females in the expt.? Last I saw, we’re still a minority in tenured positions.
By what margin and what geographic location? 65 in San Francisco, or 98 in Texas or?