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Iowa State University

Tattoos and the interaction process: managing a tattooed identity

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

<p>The practice of tattooing is something which has undergone a dramatic shift in recent years. Once something deemed worthy for only the lower-class echelons of society, tattooing is now practiced by those from a wide variety of classes, statuses, and demographic compositions. After providing a brief account of the historical and contemporary views associated with tattooing, this paper will discuss the ways in which tattooed individuals manage and negotiate their tattooed identity in relation to audience perceptions and expectations. It is argued that through utilizing various forms of identity work and impression management techniques, an individual's tattooed identity is activated or deactivated dependent upon the interaction process with others.</p>

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Science
Level thesis:degree_level
thesis
Department dc:contributor.department
Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice (LAS)
Year dc:date.issued
2008

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Sween, Molly
Advisors dc:contributor.advisor
  • David Schweingruber
  • Brian Monahan
  • Anastasia Prokos

Rights

Language dc:language.iso
en

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Identifier
archive/lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd/15418/
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:dr.lib.iastate.edu:20.500.12876/69049

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Iowa State University
Base URL
dr.lib.iastate.edu/server/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
related terms
citation

Sween, Molly. Tattoos and the interaction process: managing a tattooed identity. thesis thesis, 2008. https://dr.lib.iastate.edu/handle/20.500.12876/69049