Religious belief and practice in attitudes toward individuals with body piercing.
Some research suggests adorning the body with tattoos or piercing jewelry is normative. Survey data were gathered from 450 undergraduates (72% female; 80% Euro-American; 63% freshmen and sophomores). Correlations between an index of respondents' religious belief and practice and their attitudes toward individuals who had more body piercings were weak if piercings were 7 or more, including piercings of the nipples and genitals. As religiosity is a carrier of normative behavior, individuals who have body piercings may be viewed as behaving within cultural norms.
Koch
Jerome R
JR
Department of Sociology, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409-1012, USA.
Roberts
Alden E
AE
Armstrong
Myrna L
ML
Owen
Donna C
DC
D000293:Adolescent; D001290:Attitude; D046288:Body Piercing; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011214:Practice, Psychological; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires