Tattoos and Personal Identity: A Thematic Exploration Among Young Adults

Title

Tattoos and Personal Identity: A Thematic Exploration Among Young Adults

Creator

Aggarwal, Apoorv; Nagpal, Kashish; Bhatia, Bani; Shukla, Ridhima

Description

The present study is an exploratory research, conducted among young adults to explore how they derive meaning and self-identity with the help of tattoos. The research paradigm guiding this study is constructivism because there are multiple realities, and the meanings are constructed by the individuals participating in this study and the researcher. Personal construct theory guides the present study. This theory provides the means to achieve the aim of understanding how individuals construct and reflect personal identity through their own tattoos. Earlier studies of tattoos have focused on the social and cultural meanings of tattoos. However, the current study takes a different perspective, investigating the meanings of tattoos for individuals who wear them and how their tattoos reflect their personal identity. Very limited studies have asked individuals directly to come up with the reasons behind being tattooed and for choosing particular designs. Thematic analysis of the data reveals that young adults see tattoos as a means of deriving personal meaning, seeking social validation, and redefining themselves with a new perspective while seeking integration and a means of self-expression. Overall, the implications of this study reverberate across academic, societal, and personal spheres, offering valuable insights into the multifaceted world of tattoos and their profound connections to personal identity. The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2025.

Source

Signals and Communication Technology;Volume;Part F76;pp.519-523

Date

01-01-2025

Publisher

Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH

Subject

Identity; Tattoo; Young adults

Coverage

Aggarwal A., Department of Psychology, CHRIST (Deemed to be University) Delhi NCR, Uttar Pradesh, Ghaziabad, India; Nagpal K., Department of Psychology, CHRIST (Deemed to be University) Delhi NCR, Uttar Pradesh, Ghaziabad, India; Bhatia B., Department of Psychology, CHRIST (Deemed to be University) Delhi NCR, Uttar Pradesh, Ghaziabad, India; Shukla R., Department of Psychology, CHRIST (Deemed to be University) Delhi NCR, Uttar Pradesh, Ghaziabad, India

Rights

Restricted Access; Hardcopy may be available in the library

Relation

ISSN: 18604862;

Format

online

Language

English

Type

Book chapter

Identifier

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-68952-9_67

https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85219028383?origin=resultslist