Picasso and peacocks both put on a show for sex. Like flashy tail feathers, men often use creative displays to attract partners. But men want creative mates too, so why have all famous muses from the Greek nymphs to Yoko Ono been female?

In most mammals, only males show off during courtship. Psychologists at Arizona State University (ASU) found that men—but not women—were more creative after picturing a hot date. But in humans, males also invest heavily in raising kids, and that may be why women got a creative kick too after imagining pursuing someone for a long-term relationship.

ASU's Vladas Griskevicius says one surprise was that even offering monetary rewards didn't spark the same level of creativity as did mate-seeking.

Another was that the subjects' muse-inspired output was more entertaining even with no significant changes in mood or effort exerted. Somehow just putting mating on the mind turns the colors up a notch. Fancy that.

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