https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22153289

Abstract:

PURPOSE:

Despite recent increases in the popularity of tattooing, little is known about the prevalence and characteristics of adults who have ever been tattooed. We investigated demographic and behavioral correlates of ever getting tattooed in an adult population.

METHODS:

Computer-assisted telephone interviews were completed by a representative sample of 8656 men and women ages 16-64 years in Australia.

RESULTS:

A total of 14.5% of respondents had ever been tattooed, and 2.4% of respondents had been tattooed in the year before the interview. Men were more likely than women to report a tattoo, but the highest rates of tattooing were found among women in their 20s (29.4%). Men and women ages 20-39 were most likely to have been tattooed, as were men with lower levels of education, tradesmen, and women with live-out partners. Tattooing was also associated with risk-taking behaviors, including smoking, greater numbers of lifetime sexual partners, cannabis use (women only) and ever having depression (men only).

CONCLUSIONS:

Tattooing has increased in popularity during the past decade. Yet tattoos still appear to be a marker for risk-taking behavior in adults.

It seems clear the prevailing wisdom among many such as myself to assume the worst about people with tattoos is backed by ample evidence about many additional correlated problems that interfere with a person being a self-maximizing human being in our world. It may seem morally unfair to prejudge people based on appearance, but stereotypes exist for a good damn reason. Women judge men based on their appearance just as men judge women, because human beings must attempt to arrive at semi-accurate conclusions with insufficient data, and they must do so often.

The issue is to remain open minded enough to allow someone to surprise you, but people with tattoos have to recognize when they permanently modify (or arguably deform) their appearance like this they are associating themselves with a relatively challenged group of individuals. So if a woman does not wish to be seen as a slut, she should hide or refrain from tattooing. If a man does not want to be seen as a low class, uneducated failure, then he should do the same. The old sales trick of judging a man based on the shoes he wears is a very valid pre-qualification for a potential buyer. The same is true in life with relationships too.