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 
College kids are immature and irrational? Shocking!
Is it me, or do many psychology professors lack the ability to run a fair test? “…photographs of tattooed and non-tattooed female models”, Good grief…where were these tattoos? And why only female models? Were these model-models or just folks? Were they all younger caucasians (I’d bet)?
I had a friend who had the zodiac tattooed on his face. He complained about never being able to get a job. I have a private tattoo that looks like it says “Pa”…but it really says “Padrewskis Bar and Grill Punxatawney Pennsylvania”
Okay it’s an old joke.
College students also prefer profs who can score them weed.
You’re way behind the curve on this one. Ink is now ubiquitous and no longer stigmatized as it once was….within reason of course. Piercings are still a bit of a problem…..
Well, speaking as a female grad student, any edge I get in end-of-year evaluations and other forms of teaching performance assessment, I will take!
Besides, its not the tattoos that actually make me the coolest TA. Its the nosering.
Once upon a time in Japan tattoo was used as a criminal record. So many Japanese are scared by seeing it and many public facilities such as hotels, “Sentos” (Japanese public bathhouses) or any pubic places where you can see directly another person’s skin, don’t admit those who were it. No profit for it to live here. It is super clear and natural that more than 99.9999% of Japanese don’t have it. I recommend not to wear it, if you come to Japan or want to have a Japanese friend, even they don’t mention it to your face.
Maybe I should get a tattoo.
That embedded link to PubMed will answer a lot of your questions, even though it only shows you the abstract:
“128 undergraduates’ perceptions of tattoos on a model described as a college instructor were assessed. They viewed one of four photographs of a tattooed or nontattooed female model. Students rated her on nine teaching-related characteristics. 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.”
Still not satisfied? I can almost guarantee that your local library’s online resources provide access to a full-text version.
Information-seeking self-sufficiency that allows fully informed criticism. Imagine!