Do Creative People Have More Sex?
November 9th 2006 00:51
According to a survey of 425 men and women, yes - on average at least twice as much as other people. UK psychologists at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne and the Open University asked individuals including professional artists, poets and schizophrenic patients about their creative activity, sexual encounters and mental health characteristics and found that the creative types had between four and 10 sexual partners, while less creative ones had an average of three.
From 18th Century poets to 20th Century rock stars (as in Mick Jagger, pictured), artists have a well-earned reputation for leading busy romantic lives. Does creativity act as a sexual magnet or does sex inspire creativity? Do the sexually energetic use creative expressions to make themselves more attractive or does the creative activity heighten their sexuality?
Dr Daniel Nettle of the study said "creative people are often considered to be attractive and get lots of attention as a result," and, "it could also be that very creative types lead a bohemian lifestyle and tend to act on more sexual impulses and opportunities, often purely for experience's sake, than the average person would.” Moreover, he said it's common that sexual behaviour is tolerated in creative people. Partners, even long-term ones, are less likely to expect loyalty and fidelity from them.
The study also showed that the average number of sexual partners increased as creative output went up. What the artists produce draws attention to them, which seems to enhance their sexual allure.
The drive to be sexually atractive supports the initiative to propagate the species (as in the male peacock in full plumage). Further analysis showed that one personality dimension - a tendency toward "unusual experiences," defined as atypical thoughts or perceptions, or "magical thinking" - was related to both creativity and sexual success. That tendency is also seen in people with schizophrenia. "Successful creative types signal that they have unusual mental qualities that can command the attention of others, and as such, they are likely to bear or sire us children who can do the same," Nettle explained.
The researchers say it’s no coincidence that Pablo Picasso, Lord Byron and Dylan Thomas shared not only extraordinary creativity but also active sex lives. They were famous for their paintings and poetry and for their attraction to women. Picasso, who’s sexually charged brothel scene, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, pictured, is possibly one of the most important paintings of the century, illustrated the phenomena well: lots of acclaim and lots of women.
The results are detailed in the academic journal, The Proceedings of the Royal Society. The researchers believe their study is the first to back it up with research, but creativity has long been associated with sex.
I think of hedonistic post WWI Paris, a place where expatriate Americans and others from all over the world flocked to, so they could live however they wanted to live and express themselves freely. At this centre of modernity the creative energy was like nothing before or since. Creative geniuses like James Joyce, Man Ray and Kiki, Salvador Dali, Gertrude Stein and Alice B Toklas, Pablo Picasso, Ernst Hemmingway, D. H. Lawrence and Josephine Baker (pictured) mingled and indulged in all that sin city had to offer. They met in salons, cafés and clubs and shared money, lovers and ideas. There were hundreds of brothels catering to all sexual tastes, topless women were an accepted part of an evening’s entertainment, fidelity was seen as terribly old fashioned, and drugs and alcohol were cheap and available. It is a testament to the idea that creativity comes from liberty and licentiousness, which often goes hand in hand with lots of sex.
Jack Kerouac, who’s novel On the Road remains the most influential piece of literature for the entire beat generation, was another brilliant thinker famous for his sexual escapades. He wrote a short story called Big Trip To Europe, and recorded his impressions of Paris a number of decades after “les annees folles” (“the crazy years”) as the French refer to the 1920’s. This was his impression of the women there:
“It’s not that French girls are beautiful, it’s their cute mouths and the sweet way they talk French (their mouths pout rosily), the way they’ve perfected the short haircut and the way they amble slowly when they walk, with great sophistication, and of course their chic was of dressing and undressing”
From 18th Century poets to 20th Century rock stars (as in Mick Jagger, pictured), artists have a well-earned reputation for leading busy romantic lives. Does creativity act as a sexual magnet or does sex inspire creativity? Do the sexually energetic use creative expressions to make themselves more attractive or does the creative activity heighten their sexuality?
Dr Daniel Nettle of the study said "creative people are often considered to be attractive and get lots of attention as a result," and, "it could also be that very creative types lead a bohemian lifestyle and tend to act on more sexual impulses and opportunities, often purely for experience's sake, than the average person would.” Moreover, he said it's common that sexual behaviour is tolerated in creative people. Partners, even long-term ones, are less likely to expect loyalty and fidelity from them.
The study also showed that the average number of sexual partners increased as creative output went up. What the artists produce draws attention to them, which seems to enhance their sexual allure.
The drive to be sexually atractive supports the initiative to propagate the species (as in the male peacock in full plumage). Further analysis showed that one personality dimension - a tendency toward "unusual experiences," defined as atypical thoughts or perceptions, or "magical thinking" - was related to both creativity and sexual success. That tendency is also seen in people with schizophrenia. "Successful creative types signal that they have unusual mental qualities that can command the attention of others, and as such, they are likely to bear or sire us children who can do the same," Nettle explained.
The results are detailed in the academic journal, The Proceedings of the Royal Society. The researchers believe their study is the first to back it up with research, but creativity has long been associated with sex.
Jack Kerouac, who’s novel On the Road remains the most influential piece of literature for the entire beat generation, was another brilliant thinker famous for his sexual escapades. He wrote a short story called Big Trip To Europe, and recorded his impressions of Paris a number of decades after “les annees folles” (“the crazy years”) as the French refer to the 1920’s. This was his impression of the women there:
“It’s not that French girls are beautiful, it’s their cute mouths and the sweet way they talk French (their mouths pout rosily), the way they’ve perfected the short haircut and the way they amble slowly when they walk, with great sophistication, and of course their chic was of dressing and undressing”
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Comment by Adrian
Philosophy Blog
But here's one idea: directly after sex, the right, creative hemisphere is supposed to be a fever of activity.
Comment by G3 Creative - Do Creative People Have More Sex?
Can you say if this survey also included the world of graphic designers as we always seem to be working 24/7 and are sometimes even luckt to escape to the office Christmas party.
David Mac
http://www.g3creative.co.uk
Comment by ag
Eat French Bread
Thanks for stopping by - good luck getting to your office Christmas party this year and I wish you plenty of lays in 2007.
ag