EFFECTS OF PERSONALITY AND ATTITUDE TOWARD TATTOOING AND BODY PIERCING AS RISK-TAKING BEHAVIOR AMONG UNDERGRADUATES IN EKITI STATE UNIVERSITY, ADO EKIT, NIGERIA
Abstract
Author(s): Olubukola Ajayi and Solomon Ifeoluwa
The study examined the effects of personality and attitude towards tattooing and the body piercing as risk-taking behaviour among undergraduates. The subjects were drawn from eight faculties in Ekiti State University, and the sample comprised of one hundred and ninety-nine (199) subjects which comprising one hundred and two (102) males and ninety seven (97) females. Three instruments were used to collect data; EPQ was used to measure the personality traits of subjects, tattooing and body piercing scale was also used to measure the attitude of subjects towards tattooing and body piercing, while risk-taking behaviour scale (DOSPERT) was used to assess the subjects’ level of risk-taking behaviour activities. The result showed that, there is a significant main influence of neuroticism and body piercing on health, safety and there is also a significant join influence of personality and body piercing on health safety, also there is a significant main influence of extraversion and neuroticism on recreation. Furthermore the result of the findings also showed that there is a significant relationship between neurotic and health safety, extraversion and recreation; others are not related. There is a significant difference in health safety between males and females (t – (197) = -2.25 p < 0.05. No significant difference between males and females on all other dimension of risk-taking behaviour. No significant difference in the attitude between males and females towards body piercing and tattoo. It is recommended that students, parents and health officials should be alerted to the need for continuing education on these matters. Key words: Personality, Attitude, tattooing, body piercing, risk taking behavior.
