Official Solution:
An anthropologist studying the social function of human skin has stated that tattoos are an ancient form of body art. Tattoos, she argues, function as a mode of self-identification; the placement and design of images communicate ideas of central importance to those who bear them. She hypothesizes that the resurgence of tattooing in Western cultures over the last 10-15 years is due to increased desire to express individuality in an environment in which other personal decorations, including clothing and jewelry, are mass-produced.
Which of the following research studies, if completed, would be most likely to provide evidence directly relating to the anthropologist’s hypothesis?
A. A study examining the attitudes in several Western cultures toward mass-produced clothing and jewelry.
B. A study that systematically interviews people who got a tattoo in the past 15 years to discover their reasons for tattooing.
C. A study surveying the work of other anthropologists on tattooing as a mode of self-identification.
D. A study of the most common designs for tattoos over the last 10-15 years that could determine correlations between popular images and culture.
E. A study comparing ancient and modern designs for tattoos that could reveal the way shifts in images reflect shifts in culture.
General Approach:
In this type of question, you need to analyze and select an option that would be the most likely to directly prove or support the hypothesis. The hypothesis in this case is that the resurgence of tattooing in Western cultures over the last 10-15 years is due to an increased desire to express individuality in an environment where other personal decorations are mass-produced. Therefore, the research study that directly evaluates the reasons behind the surge of tattooing in Western cultures would most likely provide evidence supporting the anthropologist's hypothesis.
Correct Answer:
Option B is the correct answer because it directly addresses the core of the anthropologist's hypothesis. By conducting systematic interviews with people who have gotten tattoos in the last 10-15 years, the researcher would be able to directly investigate the motivations behind the decision to get a tattoo, which can then confirm or refute the assertion that tattoos are a response to a desire for individual expression in an environment of mass-produced personal decoration.
Incorrect Answers:
A) This study examines attitudes towards mass-produced clothing and jewelry, but it doesn't directly investigate the reasons for the resurgence of tattooing. There could be a correlation, but this study alone would not provide direct evidence for the anthropologist's hypothesis.
C) A study surveying the work of other anthropologists on tattooing as a mode of self-identification does not specifically address the resurgence of tattooing in Western cultures over the past 10-15 years. Therefore, it may not provide direct evidence supporting the anthropologist's hypothesis.
D) This study of the most common designs for tattoos over the last 10-15 years might reveal cultural trends, but it doesn't directly address the reasons for individuals choosing to get tattoos, which is central to the anthropologist's hypothesis.
E) A study comparing ancient and modern designs for tattoos might reveal shifts in cultural preferences, but it doesn't directly address the reasons for the resurgence of tattooing in Western cultures over the past 10-15 years. Therefore, it wouldn't directly support the anthropologist's hypothesis.
Answer: B