View in EDS HTML Full Text PDF Full Text

Religion, Tattoos, and Religious Tattoos: The Body as Sacred Subculture.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Religion, Tattoos, and Religious Tattoos: The Body as Sacred Subculture.
Authors: Koch, Jerome R. (AUTHOR), Dougherty, Kevin D. (AUTHOR), Maloney, Patricia A. (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.). Dec2025, Vol. 64 Issue 4, p433-441. 9p.
Subjects: Tattooing, Religious identity, Social attitudes, Subcultures, Religious art, Self-expression, Religions
Geographic Terms: United States
Abstract: Tattoos have evolved into a widely popular form of self‐expression in the United States, especially for younger generations. Religious texts and images become increasingly common tattoos that now decorate the body. Surprisingly, previous research on tattoos is largely silent about religion. Given changing perceptions in the United States on tattoos, we ask: do religious people today have tattoos? And, how religious are people with religious tattoos? With a nod to Durkheim, tattoos may be conceptualized as profane and sacred, with religious tattoos functioning as sacralized markers of religious subcultural identity. We analyze tattoos and religion with nationally representative data from the 2021 Baylor Religion Survey. Religious affiliation is largely unrelated to tattoo acquisition or tattoo type, but religious commitment is related to both acquisition and type of tattoo. Highly committed religious people are unlikely to have a tattoo. If they do, it is likely a religious tattoo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.) is the property of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
Full text is not displayed to guests.
FullText Links:
  – Type: pdflink
Text:
  Availability: 1
Header DbId: pbh
DbLabel: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
An: 189843388
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Religion, Tattoos, and Religious Tattoos: The Body as Sacred Subculture.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Koch%2C+Jerome+R%2E%22">Koch, Jerome R.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Dougherty%2C+Kevin+D%2E%22">Dougherty, Kevin D.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Maloney%2C+Patricia+A%2E%22">Maloney, Patricia A.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+for+the+Scientific+Study+of+Religion+%28John+Wiley+%26+Sons%2C+Inc%2E%29%22">Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.)</searchLink>. Dec2025, Vol. 64 Issue 4, p433-441. 9p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subjects
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Tattooing%22">Tattooing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Religious+identity%22">Religious identity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+attitudes%22">Social attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Subcultures%22">Subcultures</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Religious+art%22">Religious art</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self-expression%22">Self-expression</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Religions%22">Religions</searchLink>
– Name: SubjectGeographic
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22United+States%22">United States</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Tattoos have evolved into a widely popular form of self‐expression in the United States, especially for younger generations. Religious texts and images become increasingly common tattoos that now decorate the body. Surprisingly, previous research on tattoos is largely silent about religion. Given changing perceptions in the United States on tattoos, we ask: do religious people today have tattoos? And, how religious are people with religious tattoos? With a nod to Durkheim, tattoos may be conceptualized as profane and sacred, with religious tattoos functioning as sacralized markers of religious subcultural identity. We analyze tattoos and religion with nationally representative data from the 2021 Baylor Religion Survey. Religious affiliation is largely unrelated to tattoo acquisition or tattoo type, but religious commitment is related to both acquisition and type of tattoo. Highly committed religious people are unlikely to have a tattoo. If they do, it is likely a religious tattoo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.) is the property of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=189843388
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1111/jssr.12962
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 9
        StartPage: 433
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Tattooing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Religious identity
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Subcultures
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Religious art
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Self-expression
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Religions
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: United States
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Religion, Tattoos, and Religious Tattoos: The Body as Sacred Subculture.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Koch, Jerome R.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Dougherty, Kevin D.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Maloney, Patricia A.
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 12
              Text: Dec2025
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 00218294
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 64
            – Type: issue
              Value: 4
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.)
              Type: main
ResultId 1