Tattoos, piercings, and plastic surgery are forms of body modification performed to alter one’s appearance. Although these practices are related to personal choices, they are not always accepted by society. Opposition to body modification is also found among communities with different cultural and religious backgrounds. This phenomenon has prompted a research team from the Faculty of Psychology at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) to investigate how individuals form moral judgments about body modification.
“We often associate opposition to body modification, such as tattoos, piercings, and plastic surgery, with Abrahamic religious teachings. However, we can also observe similar patterns of opposition among communities that do not adhere to these beliefs, such as East Asian societies. This raises the question: why does this happen?” explained Samudera Fadlilla Jamaluddin, S.Psi., M.Sc., the research team leader, on Thursday (October 29).
In addition to Samudera, the research team includes faculty members Muhammad Nabhan Husein, S.Psi., M.Psi., Psikolog and Haidar Buldan Thontowi, S.Psi., M.A., Ph.D., as well as undergraduate and master’s psychology students Azza Fahira Soebroto (IUP 2022), Abigael Emida Poetri Hidayat (Undergraduate Program 2024), and Faiqal Dima Hanif (Master’s in Psychology 2025).
The study uses an online experimental approach. Participants will be asked to evaluate a series of stories involving various forms of body modification. The stories have been modified to remove rational justifications that could explain opposition to these practices. Through this experiment, the team aims to determine whether moral judgments about body modification persist when such rational justifications are removed. In addition to providing moral judgments, participants will also complete several other psychological assessments.
Preliminary results from the pilot study indicate differences in judgment patterns between young adult participants, particularly university students, and older participants. These findings serve as a basis for determining the target participant demographics for the main study.
“The preliminary pilot results indicate differences in the judgment patterns of young adult participants (university students) compared with older participants. We are using these findings as a basis for selecting the target participant demographics for the main study,” Samudera explained.
This research seeks to address a gap in moral psychology, where body modification has received limited attention as an object of moral judgment. The study has been submitted to a reputable international journal through the registered report scheme. Under this scheme, the journal oversees the research before the main data collection begins to support the credibility of the findings.
Furthermore, the study is expected to deepen our understanding of the origins of social norms.
“The study aims to expand our knowledge, particularly regarding how norms emerge. Social norms may not necessarily arise solely through social construction. However, some norms may also emerge from collective biological responses in individuals. The similarities in these collective biological responses may then contribute to the formation of social norms,” he stated.
Authors: Faiqal Dima Hanif, Azza Fahira Soebroto, and Abigael Emida Poetri Hidayat
Editor: Erna Tri Nofiyana
Photo: noregrets.tattoo
