A survey of 540 Central Europeans found small-to-medium differences on several personality measures. It did not show that tattoos cause particular traits.
A 2012 study published in Psychological Reports surveyed 540 people from the southern German-speaking region of Central Europe. Researchers compared tattooed and non-tattooed participants on personality measures, including extraversion, self-esteem and sensation seeking.
Participants with tattoos scored higher on average for extraversion, experience seeking and need for uniqueness, and held more positive attitudes toward tattoos. The researchers described the differences as small to medium. About 22% of the sample had at least one tattoo.
La Nación presents the findings as six personality advantages, including sociability, boldness, self-esteem, a defined identity and individualism. The study did not test a six-item list of benefits. It measured differences between groups on specific scales.
The survey cannot show that tattoos cause extraversion or other traits. The relationship could run in the other direction, with people who have certain preferences being more likely to choose tattoos. The study reports associations in one sample, not a universal profile of everyone with a tattoo.