Do tattoos say something about your availability?
According to a recent study in France, men consider a woman who’s tattted up as more approachable. Does that surprise you? Right or wrong, it’s something to consider before getting inked or pierced. Not to mention, in many states you can’t get a tattoo until you’re 18 or have consent from a parent or legal guardian.
The University of Southern Brittany in France conducted a study led by psychologist Nicolas Gueguen. With the help of eleven college aged women he sent them to various beaches. They were instructed to lay on their stomachs and read a magazine or book. Some of the girls sported a tattoo of a butterfly on their lower back and others didn’t.
Photo by Alexa Fades Away (Flickr)
The results were revealing. When women wore tattoos they were approached by men 23% of the time. However, when the same women didn’t wear tattoos they were approached by men only 10% of the time. Men also made faster contacts with the women with a tattoo vs. without a tattoo, an average of 23 and 34 minutes, respectively. That’s a difference of more than 11 minutes before making the first move.
Clinical psychologist Vinita Mehta, Ph.D. wrote an article about this study titled “Why are Women with Tattoos Seen as Promiscuous?” It was published in the May 20, 2013 issue of Psychology Today. Dr. Mehta commented that “Like cosmetics or clothing, women may adorn tattoos as a way to enhance their appeal to men and, in turn, to attract more males. A woman has a better chance of choosing a mate of ‘higher quality’ when there are more of them from which to choose.”
