现代青年纹身的动机及社会看法研究

AbstractBodypiercing,oncerootedinculturalandreligioustraditions,hasevolvedintoawidespreadphenomenonamongcontemporaryyouth,servingasawayforself-expression,identityconstruction,andevenresistancetosocialnorms.WiththeproliferationofsocialmediaplatformslikeXiaohongshuandTikTok,thepracticeofbodypiercinghasgainedincreasingvisibility,oftenshiftingfromasubculturalsymboltoafashiontrend.Despiteitsgrowingacceptance,piercingremainsstigmatizedinmanycontexts,andthemotivationsbehindrepeatedpiercingsareoftenmisunderstood.Thisstudyemploysasociologicallenstoexplorethemotivationsdrivingyouthtoengageinmultiplebodypiercingsandtherolethispracticeplaysintheiridentityconstruction.Throughqualitativeinterviewswithtenparticipants,thisresearchidentifieskeyfactorsinfluencingpiercingbehaviorsattheindividual,environmental,andsocietallevels.Thesemotivationsrangefromaestheticappealandpersonalautonomytoemotionalrelease,peerinfluence,andresistanceagainstconventionalexpectations.Furthermore,thestudyhighlightstheroleofbodypiercingsinconstructingandnegotiatingself-identityacrossdifferentsocialcontexts,demonstratinghowindividualsstrategicallymodifytheirappearancestobalanceself-expressionwithsocietalacceptance.Drawinguponsymbolicinteractionismandsubculturaltheory,thestudyrevealsthatbodypiercingsfunctionnotonlyaspersonalaestheticchoicesbutalsoaspowerfulsymbolsofagency,resistance,andbelonging.Particularlyamongwomen,piercingsemergeasaformofbodilyautonomy,challengingtraditionalgenderedbeautynorms.Theresearchalsoillustratestheshiftingperceptionofbodymodificationsindifferentgenerationsandprofessions.Ultimately,thisstudyunderscoresthesignificanceofbodypiercingsbeyondmereornamentation.Itarguesthatpiercingsencapsulatecomplexsociologicaldynamics,servingasanevolvingmediumforself-exploration,resistance,andidentitynegotiation.Associetalattitudescontinuetoshift,understandingthedeepermeaningsbehindbodypiercingswillcontributetofosteringamoreinclusiveculturaldialoguearoundbodymodificationandpersonalexpression.Keywords:bodypiercing,identityconstruction,youthsubculture,socialresistance,personalautonomyIntroductionBodypiercing,apracticeoncetiedtocultural,spiritual,andtribaltraditions,hasbecomeawidespreadphenomenonamongmodernyouth.Historicallyassociatedwithritesofpassage,socialhierarchy,orreligioussignificance,piercingstodayhavelargelyshiftedintotherealmofpersonalexpressionandaesthetics.WiththeriseofsocialmediaplatformslikeXiaohongshuandTikTok,bodypiercingsarenotonlymorevisiblebutareincreasinglyseenasaformoffashion.Theglobalmarketforbodypiercingjewelryisthriving,withplatformslikeMade-in-Clisting

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372suppliers,reflectingrobustdemandanddiverseconsumerpreferencesforpiercingdesigns.Despitetheirgrowingprevalence,bodypiercingsoftenremainmisunderstoodorstigmatized.Themotivationsbehindthistrendremainunclear.ManyindividualsonsocialmediaplatformssuchasXiaohongshuandTikToksharethatbodypiercingsarenotmerelyafashionstatementbutratheran“addictive”experience.Usersoftendescribebecoming"addicted"topiercings,withsomefindingmeaningintherepeatedactsofpiercingitself,includingthepaininvolved.Othersviewpiercingsasapowerfultooltoexpressindividualityoralignwithsubculturalaesthetics.Thisresearchseekstouncoverthemotivationsdrivingbodypiercingamongyouth,framingitasasociologicalphenomenonbeyondpersonalaesthetics.Byexaminingthesemotivations,thestudyaimstoexplorehowmultiplebodypiercingsserveasamediumforidentityconstructionandanegotiationofindividualitywithinthebroaderculturalandpsychologicalcontext.SignificanceoftheStudyByinvestigatingtheunderlyingmotivations,thisstudyoffersboththeoreticalunderstandingandpracticalimplications.Theoretically,itcontributestosociologicalstudiesbyexamininghowbodypiercingsreflectidentityformation,emotionalexpression,andevenresistancetosocietalnormsinaglobalizedworld.Practically,itinformsmentalhealthprofessionalsandeducatorsaboutthepsychologicaldimensionsofbodymodification,aidinginbettersupportforyouth.Additionally,itcancontributetoreducingsocietalstigmaandfosteringgreateracceptanceofdiverseformsofself-expression,encouragingamoreinclusiveculturaldialogue.LiteratureReviewExploringyoungpeople'spiercingculturerequiresengagingwithsubculturalliterature,asbodypiercingrepresentsadistinctformofsubculturalexpression.Areviewofsubculturalliteratureisessentialtosituatepiercingculturewithinbroadertheoreticalframeworks.Thiscanprovideafoundationforunderstandingtheculturalandsocietaldynamicsunderlyingpiercingpractices.ResearchonSubcultureThestudyofsubcultureshasevolvedthroughdistincttheoreticalframeworks.RaymondWilliams(1977)statedinMarxismandLiteraturethat“thedominantcultureismainstreamculture.”Incontrast,“subculture”isatermintroducedbyculturalanthropologiststodescribetheculturalformsandvaluesofminoritygroupsthatdifferfrommainstreamculture.Westernscholarshiponsubculturesprogressedthroughthreeparadigmaticphases:theChicagoSchool'sethnographicstudiesofdeviance(1920s-1960s),theBirminghamSchool’sMarxistcritiqueofyouthresistance(1970s),andpost-Birminghamreconceptualizationsemphasizingfluididentitiesinlatecapitalism(Muggleton&Weinzierl,2003).Despitemethodologicaldivergences,thesetraditionsshareacommitmenttoqualitativeresearch.Crucially,thistheoreticallineageprovidescriticaltoolsfordecodingcontemporaryphenomenalikebodypiercing—apracticestraddlingsubculturalauthenticityandcommodifiedself-expression.SubculturesasSpacesofResistanceandIdentityTheconceptualizationofsubcultureshasevolvedovertime,movingfromearlydevianceandstructuralistmodelstomorefluid,interactionistperspectivesthatemphasizeidentityformationthroughsocialinteractionandculturalnegotiation.FineandKleinman(1979)wereamongthefirsttoarguethatsubculturesarenotstaticorfixedbutarecontinuouslyconstructedthroughsocialinteraction,sharedmeanings,andexperiences.Thisviewmovesbeyondafocusondeviance,offeringaframeworkinwhichsubculturesareseenasdynamicspacesthatresistthehomogenizingforcesofmainstreamculture.Calluori(1985)andtheBirminghamSchoolhighlighttheirroleinaddressingclassandgenerationalconflict,showinghowsymbolslikemusic,fashion,andlanguagefosteralternativeculturalspaces.MagoldaandEbben(2007)illustratethisadaptabilityinevangelicalChristiansubcultures,wherespiritualresistancetosecularnormscreatescohesivecommunities.Asisknowntoall,subculturesarenotsimplyoppositional.Theyarecomplexsocialworldswhereidentitiesintersectandevolve.DowdandDowd(2003)arguethatsubculturesshouldbeseenasoverlappingsocialworldswithfluidboundaries,ratherthanisolated,staticgroups.ThisperspectiveisexpandedbyEleftheriadis(2018),whoshowshowqueerfestivalsfunctionasculturalspaceswhereidentitiesareperformedthroughresistancetodominantgenderandsexualnorms,creatingalternativeformsofbelonging.Similarly,duPlessisandChapman(1997)suggestthat“queer”isafluid,relationalidentitythatevolveswithinsubcultureslikequeercore,emphasizingcontinuousrenegotiationofidentity.Brown(2004)andBotsch(2012)bothshowhowtheskinheadsubcultureevolvedfromaculturalexpressiontoapoliticallychargedspace,withmusicplayingakeyroleinitsradicalizationandalignmentwiththeirideologies.Someoftheliteraturealsooffersalternativeinterpretationsfromcreativeperspectives.SchoutenandMcAlexander(1995),Willis(1993),andSchiermer(2014)allexplorehowsubculturesformaroundconsumptionbuthighlightdifferentdynamics.SchoutenandMcAlexanderintroduce“subculturesofconsumption,”showinghowgroupslikeHarley-Davidsonbikerscreateidentitiesthroughsharedconsumptionpractices.Willisexamineshowworking-classyouthuseconsumptiontoresistmainstreamculture,expressingidentitythroughstyleandrejectionofdominantvalues.Schiermerfocusesonhipsterculture,where“ironicconsumption”shapesindividualityinaworldofmassproduction.Furthermore,Kinsella(1998)providesacomplementaryanalysisintheJapanesecontext,focusingontheotakuandamateurmangamovements.Thesesubcultures,largelydrivenbyyoungwomen,createaspaceforalternativeformsofgenderedandsexualexpression,resistingtraditionalculturalnormswhilealsochallengingthecommodifiednatureofyouthculture.Inaddition,O'Donnell(1967)andHagan(1991)bothemphasizethetemporalnatureofsubcultures.O'Donnellarguesthatsubculturesemergeinresponsetosocialissues,providingsolutionsuntilthoseissuesfade,showingthatsubculturesarefluidanddependentonbroadersocialconditions.Haganextendsthisbyintroducingtheconceptof“drift,”suggestingthatyouthsubculturesinfluencelateradultoutcomes,withinvolvementshapingindividualtrajectories.Ingeneral,theyhighlighthowsubculturesevolvewithsocialcontextsandimpactpersonaldevelopment.Expandingontheglobaldynamicsofsubcultures,Zhang(2024)andHuang(2022)focusonChineseyouthsubcultures,illustratinghowtheseculturesareshapedbybothglobalizationandlocaltraditions.Theirresearchrevealsthehybridnatureofthesesubcultures,whereWesterninfluencesinteractwithdeeplyrootedChineseculturalpractices.Similarly,Ding(2018)delvesintocollegestudents'consumptionstyles,showinghowtheirbehaviorsreflectacomplexblendofsubculturalidentity,groupbelonging,andindividualexpression.ThesestudieshighlighthowChineseyouthsubculturesserveasplatformsforresistance,whilesimultaneouslyadaptingtoconsumeristtrendsandmainstreamculture,showcasingtheevolvingnatureofmodernidentityconstructioninChina.Takentogether,thesestudiesofferacomprehensiveunderstandingofsubcultures.Theyshowthatsubculturesareactivespacesforresistanceandidentityconstruction,enablingmarginalizedgroupstonavigatesocietalhierarchiesandcreatealternativeculturalparadigms.BodyPiercingPiercingcultureoriginatedasaformofbodydecorationinearlycivilizationsandhaspersistedthroughhistory,servingvarioussocial,cultural,andsymbolicfunctions.InChina,historicaldocumentsrecordthepiercingpracticesofethnicminoritiessuchastheDai,Li,andJinopeoples,wherebodypiercingsandtattoosoftensymbolizetribalidentityorsocialstatus.Liu(2007)highlightstheculturalsignificanceoftraditionaltattoosamongtheDaiandLiethnicgroups,emphasizingtheirroleasheritagesymbolsandadvocatingfortheirpreservationasintangibleculturalassets.Tao(2017)categorizestattoomotifsintoanimals,geometricshapes,text,andothers,focusingontheirsymbolicmeaningsasexpressionsofculturalessence.Globally,bodymodifications,suchaspiercingandtattooingpractices,sharecommoncharacteristicsacrosscultures.Grosz(1984)identifiesuniversalpatternsinearlybodyart,arguingthateconomicsystemsandsurvivalneedsinitiallyshapedthesepractices.Hisfindingsdemonstratehowculturalevolutionisdeeplyrootedinsocialandeconomiccontexts.Similarly,Boas(1986)assertsthatbodyartevolvesfromtraditionalformstomeetchanginghumanneeds,usedtosignifyidentityandstatus.Sanders(2000)andBraunberger(2000)furtherexplorehowbodymodificationinsubculturesisoftenaresistantact,challengingdominantculturalstandardsandofferingaspaceforindividualstoassertautonomy.Meanwhile,Rosenblatt(1997)andAdams(2009)discusshowmediaframinginfluencesthepublicperceptionofthesepractices,withtattoosincreasinglynormalizedinmainstreamculture,whilepiercingsarestillassociatedwithdeviance.Blair(2007)addsthatformanyteenagers,tattoosaresymbolsofindividualityandrebellion,servingasastatementofpersonalidentityinasocietythatoftenpressuresconformity.Theseresearchesestablishpiercingcultureasbothahistoricalartifactandadynamicsocialphenomenon.Bytracingitsoriginsandtransformations,thesestudiesprovideafoundationforunderstandinghowpiercingservesasamediumforidentityconstruction,resistance,andculturalexpressionamongyouthincontemporarysubcultures.ResearchGapIntherealmofbodymodificationswithinsubcultures,priorresearcheshavelargelyfocusedontattoos,whilestudiesonbodypiercingremainlimited.Theextantliteratureonbodypiercinghaschieflyfocusedontwomainareas.Ononehand,thereisanemphasisonhealthconcerns,exemplifiedbytheexaminationofinfectionrisksandsafetyprotocolsasseenintheworkofBraithwaiteetal.(1999).Ontheotherhand,someinvestigationshavedelvedintohistoryandmoderntrends,asillustratedbyCraighead's(2011)research.However,thepsychologicalunderpinningsofbodypiercinghavereceivedwoefullyinadequateattention.Moreover,therecentphenomenonofanincreasingpropensitytowardsaddictiontodifferentkindsofbodypiercinghasescapedthescrutinyofacademicresearch,therebyleavingagapinourunderstandingofthesociologicalforcesthatanimatethispractice.Thisstudyaimstoaddressthisgapusingsociologicalmethodstoinvestigatethemotivationsbehindrepeatedbodypiercingandfigureouthowthesepracticescontributetoyouthidentityconstruction.MethodToexplorethemotivationsandexperiencesofyouthengagedinbodypiercing,thisstudyadoptsaqualitativeresearchapproach.In-depthinterviewswillbeemployedtouncoverthenuancedpsychologicalandculturaldimensionsofbodypiercingpractices.Asociologicalframeworkwillguidetheanalysis,enablingacomprehensiveinterpretationofparticipants’insightsonbodypiercing.Theresearchmainlyfocusesonthreecorequestions:(1)Whatmotivatescontemporaryyouthtoengageinrepeatedbodypiercingindifferentbodyparts?(2)Whatroledoesbodypiercingplayinidentityconstructionandthenegotiationofindividualitywithinthewholesociety?DataCollectionSocialmediaplatformshaveproventobehighlyeffectiveforparticipantrecruitment.TheauthorhasinitiatedarecruitmentprocessonXiaohongshubypostingamessage,targetingindividualswhoarepassionateaboutbodypiercing.Theposthasgarneredsubstantialengagement,withoveronehundredparticipantsactivelyrespondinginthecommentsection.Theysharedtheirphotosaboutbodypiercingsanddescribedtheirexperiences,expressingtheirwillingnesstoparticipateinin-depthinterviews.Then,participantswereselectedusingpurposivesamplingmethodtoensurediversityandsuitability.Theselectioncriteriaincludedthenumberofbodypiercingstheyhave,thevarietyoflocationsonthebodywherethepiercingsareplaced,theleveloffascinationor"addiction"theyexpresstowardsbodypiercing,aswellasthedegreeofdetailintheirsharingabouttheirexperiences.Accordingtothisstandard,thesamplefinallyconsistsof10participantswhoarepassionateaboutorevenaddictedtobodypiercing.Thisapproachensuresadiverserangeofperspectives,capturingthevariedmotivationsandopinionsaboutidentityconstructionsurroundingbodypiercing.PriorityhasbegiventorecruitingparticipantswhoarebasedinBeijingtofacilitatein-personinterviews,whichprovidericherdatathroughdirectinteractionandobservationofnon-verbalcues.OtherparticipantswhoarenotbasedinBeijinghavebeeninterviewedthroughTecentmeeting.Detailedinformationabouttheparticipantsisshownasthetablebelow.ParticipantsTable1DetailedinformationaboutparticipantsParticipantGenderAgeNumbersofBodyPiercingM1Male249F2Female1925F3Female2311M4Male2115F5Female2110F6Female2626F7Female2311F8Female2412F9Female2617F10Female2316Beforeengagingininterviewsofapproximatelyonehour,tenparticipantshavebeenfullyinformedabouttheprocessandrequiredtosignan“InformedConsentFormforInterviews”,ensuringthatethicalstandardsaremaintainedandparticipantshaveaclearunderstandingofthisresearch.Eachparticipantunderwentanapproximate60-minutesemi-structuredonlineinterview.Andallinterviewswereaudio-recorded.Theinterviewshavedelvedintoparticipants’specificexperienceswithbodypiercing,theirperspectivesonthefactorscontributingtoitspotentiallyaddictivenatureandhowthesepiercingsworktoaffectparticipants’identityconstruction.Afterreadingandreferringtotherelevantliteratureworks,theauthorhascarefullydesignedaninterviewoutlineandpreparedtoconducttheinterviewswiththeparticipantsinturn.Questionswerealwaysopen-ended,givingtheintervieweesenoughfreedomtoexpressthemselves.Theoutlinehasbeencontinuouslyrefinedthroughinteractionswiththeparticipantstoensureacomprehensiveandresponsiveexplorationoftheirperspectives.DataAnalysisAllinterviewrecordingswillbetranscribedbyusingtheTongYiTingWu（通义听悟）apptoensureaccuracyandefficiencyinprocessingthedata.Thetranscriptionswerethoroughlyreviewedbytheauthortocorrectanyerrorsandensurethatthecontentaccuratelyreflectedtheparticipants'spokenwords.Thisstudyhasemployedcodingandcategorizationmethodsbasedongroundedtheorytoanalyzetheexplicitcontentandunderlyingmeaningsoftheinterviewtranscripts.Theanalysiswillbeconductedwithanopenmind,settingasidesubjectivebiasesandpre-existingresearchconclusionstouncoverauthenticinsights.Aftertranscription,theauthorimportedtheinterviewtextsintoNVIVOsoftware,whichisdesignedforqualitativedataanalysis.Thissoftwareallowsfortheorganizationandsystematicanalysisoflargevolumesoftext.Thecodingprocessbeganwithopencoding.Theauthorreadeachtranscriptlinebylineandhighlightedsegmentsoftextthatcorrespondedtothemesrelatedtotheresearchobjectives.Initialcodeswouldbeidentified,suchas“showingindividuality,”“followingthetrend,”and“againsttradition.”Thesecodeswerederivedfromboththeinterviewquestionsandemergingconceptsduringtheinterviewprocess.Thisstageaimedtoremainopentoemergentthemeswhilegroundingtheanalysisintheparticipants’ownwords.Inthisaxialcodingstep,initialcodesweregroupedintobroadercategories(e.g.,“selfawareness,”“bodyautonomy,”“identityconstruction”)basedontheirconceptualrelationships.Thishelpedcreateamorenuancedunderstandingofthereasonsbehindbodypiercingasdiscussedbytheparticipants.Byimplementingthesesteps,thestudyaimstoextractmeaningfulinsightsintothemotivationsbehindbodypiercinganditsroleinidentityconstruction.Andthefindingsarepresentedasfollow.FindingsThispaperistogaininsightinthemotivationsofmodernyouthwhoengageinbodypiercings.Accordingtothein-depthinterviews,despitedifferentparticipantsexpressingtheirthoughtsindifferentways,therearestillrecurrenceofsynonymsandsimilarinterpretations.Throughcodingandcategorizing,narrativesoftheparticipantsrevealedmainlythreethemes:motivationsforgettingpiercings,therolebodypiercingsplayintheiridentityconstruction,andsocialreactions.Theauthorhighlightsandcommentsonthesefourthemesthatemergefromtheanalysisofcollecteddata.Tablesandfigureswillalsobeusedtopresentthethreethemesinthesectionsthatfollow.MotivationsforBodyPiercingInthecourseoftheauthor'scommunicationwiththeparticipants,theparticipantsdescribedwhytheyhadstartedengaginginbodypiercing.Basedontheparticipants'statements,theauthordividedthereasonsintothreemaincategories:individuallevel,immediateenvironmentandsocietallevelasshowninthetablebelow.Table2MotivationsforYouthtoGetBodyPiercingsTheMotivationsNumberDistributionIndividuallevelAestheticAppealReleasingStressPursuingIndividuality1087100%80%70%MasochisticTendencyRebellionAgainstRestrictionsEscapingfromReality63260%30%20%ImmediateEnvironmentPeerInfluence:FriendsandClassmates660%ParentalInfluence:Familyoforigin110%SocietalLevelOnline:socialmedia10100%Offline:liberalsociety220%Note:TotalN=10Individual-levelMotivationsThemotivationsforbodypiercingamongparticipantsrevealcleartrendsdrivenbyself-expressionandemotionalregulation.Accordingtothedata,100%ofparticipantscited“aestheticappeal”asaprimarymotivation,with80%ofparticipantsidentified“stressrelief”asanothersignificantfactor.70%ofparticipantsmentionedthatpiercingsallowedthemtoshowindividuality,reflectingadesireforuniqueself-expression,while60%ofparticipantsfoundthepainofpiercingempoweringandmeaningful.Itisalsonoteworthythat30%ofparticipantsviewedpiercingasa“rebellion”againstsocietalorfamilialrestrictions,whichcanbeseenasawaytoassertautonomyandasymbolofself-awareness.However,comparedtoothermotivations,thisoneremainedaminority.Thismaypointtoagrowingopennesswithinsociety,whereindividualsfeelmoreempoweredtoexpresstheiridentitywithouttheneedforrebellion.Finally,only20%mentioned“escapingfromreality”,indicatingthatthiswasnotageneraltrendbutratheramorepersonalizedinclination.Thesefindingsshowthatbodypiercingisdrivenbypersonalidentityandemotionalneeds,withaclearfocusonindividualempowerment.Thedetailedanalysisisasfollows.1.1.1AestheticAppealThemostfrequentlycitedmotivationsforbodypiercingwasitsaestheticvalue.Almosteveryonementionedthatbodypiercingswerepartoftheirpursuitofpersonalaesthetics.F5,whohadmultipleearpiercingsandanosering,describedhowherpiercingswerechosento“complementherfacialfeatures”,makingher“feelmorebalanced.”Theothertwoparticipantsalsoclaimedthatanoseringcan“enhancetheprominenceofthenose”(F6),whilealippiercingcan“makethelipsappearfuller”(F8).Anotheraspectthatcontributedtotheaestheticappealofpiercingswastheirpermanence.Unlikehairstylesormakeup,whichrequiredailyeffort,piercingsprovidedalong-lastingenhancementwithoutrequiringfrequentmaintenance.F2,whohadseveralfacialpiercings,describedthemas“built-inaccessories”,stating:“Idon’talwayshavetimetoputonjewelryormakeup,butmypiercingsarealwaysthere.Theyadddetailtomyfaceeffortlessly.”Similarly,F7viewedherbodypiercingsasaformof“personaldecoration”aswell,comparingthemtojewelrythat“stayswithmenomatterwhatIwear.”Basedonthedata,theauthorfindthattheseparticipantshaveastrongsenseofpersonalaesthetics,usingpiercingstoshapetheirappearanceinwaysthatalignwiththeirownstylisticpreferences.Ratherthanblindlyfollowingtrends,theymakedeliberatechoicesthatreflecttheirownaestheticvalue.1.1.2ReleasingStressBeyondtheabovereasons,80%participantsreportedgettingpiercedasawaytocopewithstress.Thefrequencyoftheirpiercingswasoftendirectlycorrelatedwiththeirstresslevels.Everyonehastheirownwayofcopingwithstress.Comparedtomethodslikedoingexercise,piercingsmayseemlessconventional,buttheydowork.Differentparticipantshavedifferentmetaphorsfortheirstressornegativeemotions,like“anoverinflatedballoon”(M4)or“volcanoonthevergeoferuption”(F9).Gettingbodypiercingsisjustlike“takinganeedletothatballoon—itletseverythingleakoutslowlysoIdonotburstallatonce”(M4).Thismetaphorencapsulatedhowpiercingfunctionedasacontrolledrelease,preventingemotionaloverload.Therepetitivenatureofpiercingwasalsonotedbymultipleparticipants,astheyfoundthemselvesreturningtoitwhenevertheyencounteredhighlevelsofstress.F3reflectedonthispattern,saying,“IdonotthinkIrealizeditatfirst,butlookingback,IseethatIalwaysgetnewpiercingswhenI’memotionallyexhausted.Itisalmostlikeanunconsciousaddiction.”Accordingtotheirnarratives,whetherdealingwithacademicpressure,emotionalturmoil,orgenerallifefrustrations,theseindividualsfoundthatthepiercingprocessprovidedbothimmediatereliefandlong-termsignificanceintheirlives.1.1.3PursuingIndividualityArecurringthemeinparticipants’narrativeswasthedesiretorepresentindividuality.Manysawbodypiercingasanoutwardexpressionoftheirinternalidentity,particularlythosewhodeliberatelychoseplacementsthatwerelessconventionalcomparedwithearpiercings.Theparticipantswhochosepiercingsallhavetheirownuniquepersonalitiestosomeextent.70%explicitlyadmittedthispoint.Theyholdcertainconvictions,suchas“goagainstthegrain”(M1).and“thinkoutsidethebox”(F5).Someofthem(F2,F6)alsoproudlysaidthat“Ienjoythewaypeoplenoticemylippiercings/eyebrowrings.”Otherssawtheirpiercingsas“apersonalsignature”,adefiningfeaturethatmadethemrecognizable.F5reflectedthat“IwantpeopletoremembermebecauseIdonotlooklikeeveryoneelse.”F7hadasimilarperspective,statingthatshespecificallyavoided“mainstreamortrendypiercings”andinsteadsoughtoutplacementsthatwere“lesscommon”.Thesenarrativessuggestthatformany,piercingfunctionsasasubtlebutpowerfulwayofcraftingindividuality,reinforcingasenseofselfthatisdistinctfrommainstreambeauty.1.1.4MasochisticTendenciesFor60%participants,thephysicalpainofpiercingwasakeypartoftheappeal.Whilepaintolerancevariedamongindividuals,three-fifthsoftheparticipantsexpressedthattheynotonlyacceptedthepainbutfounditstrangelycharming.Theydescribedthemselvesas“havingacertainmasochistictendency.”M1admittedthatalthoughhewasafraidofpainingeneral,thepainofpiercingfelt“different”,describingitas“sharp,intense,butsomehowsatisfying.”Othersechoedsimilarsentiments,notingthatpiercingprovideda“controlledformofpain”thatwas“bothpredictableandfleeting”(F3).F5describedtheexperienceas“amixoffear