Link Between Creativity And Mating Success

Main Category: Schizophrenia
Article Date: 03 Dec 2005 - 3:00 PDT

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Biologists have puzzled over how the genetic variants that predispose people to schizophrenia persist in the human gene pool, given that the effects of the disorder are so serious.

A possible solution is the idea that these same variants can also enhance artistic creativity.

Artistic creativity in turn has been hypothesized to increase sexual attractiveness. We investigated these ideas in 425 poets, artists and members of the public.

We found that poets and artists share some (but not all) personality characteristics with schizophrenia patients, and, moreover, that they have more sexual partners than average.

Thus, some of the personality traits predisposing to schizophrenia can actually be evolutionarily advantageous by increasing mating success.

Contact: Dr D Nettle, Psychology, Brain and Behaviour, University of Newcastle, Henry Wellcome Building, NEWCASTLE, NE2 4HH

by Dr D Nettle and Ms HT Keenoo (rspb.2005.3349)

Tim Watson
tim.watson@royalsoc.ac.uk
Royal Society
http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk

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