Body Modification Sociology

Our book defines sociology as, "the systematic or scientific study of human society and social behavior, from mass culture to small groups and individual interactions (Ferris)." So, quite literally sociologists study individual, group and cultural behaviors and actions as a way to assess society as a whole. Body modification is any alteration to a person 's body from its natural state. Practices of body modification include but are not limited to piercings, tattoos, scarification and implants. Individuals engage in body modification for health benefits, cultural expectations and the ever changing standard of beauty. Sociologist are interested in studying body modification because by researching the types of body modifications individuals, groups and cultures engage in, in specific areas they will can better understand society. With social imagination sociologist can connect body modification to social folkways and mores in a given society. Social imagination allows connections to be made between what people believe is an individual choice, want or desire to social standards and norms. Sociologist may also find body modification interesting because they can study how societies such as the United States can influence the different cultures within the society. United States societal norms are easy to get wrapped up in especially with cultural imperialism planting seeds of what beauty is. United States though created of many cultures and

Many people say that anything that is original, is the best, whether it’s the flavor of chips, the first movie, or even the first original book. However, the problem is that people do not think the same for human beings. More specifically, people disregard their own image and rather desire to change who they were created to be. The importance is that plastic surgery has been destroying the physical and mental existence of human beings. As our society continues to expand and advance within our technology for the “better of the world”, more people are tempted and exposed to fixing who they are within their originality. The utilization of plastic surgery results in risks leading to more extreme health factors, innumerable cost expenses for

Body modifications have existed in our society for centuries and the way in which it is perceived has changed somewhat over the years. But certain stigmas still persists to this contemporary day. One such body modification is the act of inking or marking the skin: Tattooing. Like most body modifications, tattoos are an often misunderstood form of body modification. Despite the stigmas, tattoos have become a unique object of desire to diverse groups of people. But are the popular perceptions of tattoos out of synch with the true meaning behind them? This essay will explore the social and cultural practices of tattooing and the causal connection between the mind and the tattooed body. It will also explore why tattoos engender

Taboos aren’t a concept that just applies to certain manners or actions, but as well as a type of art, known as body modification. The meaning of “body modification” means to alter one’s physical appearance through practices such as tattooing, piercing, or plastic surgery. Throughout history there have been times that tattoos were thought of as taboo, but more and more countries have become more accepting of it as it becomes more mainstreams. Although it is losing its poor reputation in some countries, other areas such as South Korea and Japan have societies that are mainly against this type of body modification. Those against body modification believe that it symbolizes the bad in this world and is self-destructive to a person. Individuals who modify and manipulate their bodies have many reasons

Traditionally, tattoos were meant for sailors, soldiers, bikers and gangs. Along with several changes in the industrialized and technological society of the twenty-first century, the standard for getting body modifications have altered as well. Everyday, people are willing to get permanently marked as an individual choice rather than the customarily perception of belonging to a certain group. Tattoo and piercing shops are not seen as “the backstreet” of the commercial civilization today, it is somewhat an expected sight in all public places. Josie Appleton in “The Body

The article ‘it is Not OKAY to alter a woman’s body’ was published by Kate Lyons from the Daily Mail Australia. Lyons addresses an issue about a misappropriated image that was altered in a way that was insulting to an adolescent female model.

Individuals should be able to express themselves without having limitations as to which occupation they have because modifications do not harm customers or others, they are people who need jobs like the rest of us, and it is unfair. Often, when most people hear the words “body modifications” they think about the huge plates in people’s ears or lips. Most people fail to realize that body modifications can be as simple as tanning, dieting, or more drastic, plastic surgery. As society develops, body modifications such as tattooing, hair color, and stretched ears are becoming more of a social “norm” and increasingly popular.

The author provides information found in a study on easily accessible Central Texas college students and body modifications. This study included participants both with tattoos and without, and were compared to one another based on body appreciation, self-esteem, and the need for uniqueness. In the study for tattoos, 44% of the students involved had at least one tattoos and that women were much more likely to have tattoos than men. In another aspect of the study, information gathered and compared in regards to body appreciation and self-esteem was for both men and women separately as well as together. This comparison provided that women were found to have lower sense of body appreciation nd self-esteem. Some of the reason people say they get tattoos are, self expression, individuality, and uniqueness, but the more common tattoos become, the fewer differences between college students will be

In recent years tattooing and body piercing have become increasingly prevalent in popular culture. These forms of body modification are no longer tools used by criminals and gang member, showing their role in society. These practices are used by many of teenagers and young adults in our society today. In fact many of these practices have been a positive trend in American culture, giving adolescents a way of expressing themselves

In contrast, Pitts’ study of women with non-mainstream body modifications through interviews and autobiographical narratives was focused entirely on their lived experiences of their tattoos, piercings, and other modifications (2003, p. 58). With her use of qualitative methods, the subjective qualities of the participants’ bodily experiences were recognized, instead of erasing the richness of the narratives which would only be apparent with these types of methods. Furthermore, although Pitts’ research did focus on bodies, the women were not objectified and did not experience the same form of erasure as the men in previous studies, as substantial attention was given to representing their individual identities and experiences. While the impact of these methodological choices may be difficult or even impossible to separate from the theoretical basis or approach of the research, awareness of how they may affect the representation of participant voices and experiences in research, as well as the associated ethical implications of this must be maintained.

Finally with the current society; body modification is highly trending. Whereas, it is and may still be looked down upon in the professional lens. In example, students told by their program coordinator to cover up all visible tattoos, put lighter makeup and take off any facial piercing when they go in for an internship interview (personal experience).There are certain limitations to self-expression, which depends on the individual(s)’ work space. For instance, the individual is perhaps working in production lines, or heavy labor work. It is necessary to take their piercing, jewelry and any loose clothing off to ensure their safety. Nonetheless, the students are expected to be clean, shaven, dress professionally, breathe mint and look nice.Clearly, dressing and body modification is a form of art. According to Cooke, cited by Halsall (2014), “works of art disclose a perspective (p.143)” and “validity claims is connected to the subjective experience of those affected and cannot be justified directly through reference to facts or theories (p.143)”. Individuals are able to self express their experiences bythe way they

Body modifications have been practiced by humans for thousands of years. It's a common practice in modern society, mainly to make one's body conform to societal or personal ideals of beauty. There are other motives as well, such as health reasons, religious beliefs, shock value, and to display affiliation or membership to a group. Some of the most common forms of body modification are:

Body modification is unique, people use it to express them and add personalized art. Most people get some kind of tattoo to represent someone that has passed away. They want to always remember them and get some sort of shrine on their body to honor their loved ones. In addition, piercings are also unique by being punctured into the human body in various amazing designs. Some people use them to make a ribbon across their back; they use the piercings to hold the ribbon somewhat tie it like a shoelace; this is named a corset. Furthermore, “In Pumped, Pierced, Painted, and Pagan” Sarai Jorgenson recalls that she was always shy and had low self-esteem when she was young (381). Once she grew older and got her piercings she loved her body because

From culture to culture, body modification can be viewed as a true positive expression of one’s identity or viewed as forbidden and the person is shunned from society forever. In corporate America, it is considered taboo and will not earn respect or a job. In rural America, you are perceived as unclean and destroying the perfect body God gave you. But, in urban America on the streets of Brooklyn, the person is unique and exciting. Body modification or the deliberate altering of the human anatomy or human physical appearance (Dictonary.com) can be achieved in many ways. Some of the more extreme ways are facial and body piercing and tattoos however, something as small as a basic ear piercing still counts as modification. Many African and

Why workout when you can simply get pec, glute, quad, and lat implants? Why embrace the body you were given when you can mold it into your favorite celebrity with only a couple hundred thousand dollars? These are questions people would not even have imagined less than 30 years ago. In recent years, however, the growth of plastic surgery has boomed throughout the world. Merely since 2000, overall cosmetic procedures have increased by 115 percent (American Society of Plastic Surgeons)! Plastic surgery is changing the face of society, quite literally, by evoking unnecessary, selective surgeries ranging from boob jobs to eyelid surgeries. We have hit an era where we can completely refigure ourselves to look whichever way we want, thanks to a scalpel and another human being with an MD. The popularity of plastic surgery has been able to be broadcasted to a wider audience as technology has improved. The emphasis on physical perfection in the media encourages the cultivation of a culture that equates acceptance and success with physical appearance. Plastic surgery, once considered taboo and scandalous, has expanded incredibly over the past decade and demonstrates how our society’s vanity knows no bounds due to the addicting lengths individuals are going to reach costly visual perfection.