Tattoos, Life Style and the Labor Market

29 Pages Posted: 1 Feb 2016

See all articles by Rik Dillingh

Rik Dillingh

Tilburg University

Peter Kooreman

Tilburg University - Tilburg University School of Economics and Management; IZA Institute of Labor Economics

Johannes (Jan) J. M. Potters

Tilburg University - CentER

Abstract

Placing a tattoo is a choice with potentially significant and long-lasting social and economic consequences. In this study we look at the factors determining the decision to place a tattoo and combine this with several outcomes, such as income and employment status, living together with a partner, (perceived) health and substance use. The analyses are based on unique panel data of a representative sample of Dutch individuals. The tattooed population differs significantly from the non-tattooed population on a wide range of characteristics. The first part of our analysis describes the number, timing, location, size and visibility of tattoos. In the second part we use fixed effects and instrumental variables analysis to explore the effect of tattoos on the above mentioned outcome measures. Our analyses suggest less favorable outcomes for people with (very visible) tattoos, though especially in the case of the labor market, the relationships are relatively weak.

Keywords: tattoos, labor market, health, family, panel data

JEL Classification: J10, J20

Suggested Citation

Dillingh, Rik and Kooreman, Peter and Potters, Johannes (Jan) J. M., Tattoos, Life Style and the Labor Market. IZA Discussion Paper No. 9675, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2725036 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2725036

Rik Dillingh (Contact Author)

Tilburg University

P.O. Box 90153
Tilburg, DC Noord-Brabant 5000 LE
Netherlands

Peter Kooreman

Tilburg University - Tilburg University School of Economics and Management ( email )

P.O. Box 90153
Tilburg, 5000 LE
Netherlands

HOME PAGE: http://www.peterkooreman.nl

IZA Institute of Labor Economics

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

Johannes (Jan) J. M. Potters

Tilburg University - CentER ( email )

Department of Economics
P.O. Box 90153
5000 LE Tilburg
Netherlands
+31 13 466 8204 (Phone)
+31 13 466 3042 (Fax)

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