You may have been told that certain personality traits are associated with birth order. For example, first borns are generally considered to be leaders, while only children tend to be more spoiled. But what does the research really say?
The connection between a person’s personality and intelligence and their birth order has long been a subject of interest to psychologists. Researcher Alfred Adler, a contemporary of Sigmund Freud, went so far as to suggest that birth order can absolutely determine what kind of person you are.
Not all of Adler’s claims have been proven, but research has shed light on some interesting connections between birth order, personality, and intelligence.
First borns, for example, tend to be better leaders. They have a take-charge attitude, they like to be in control, and are extremely dependable and responsible. This is because the oldest children typically help take care of their younger siblings, and so they learn how to be both sensible and nurturing. They are also generally more honest, and they don’t manage stress as easily.
The youngest child, on the other hand, tends to be the sibling who gets all of the attention. They are cared for by both their parents and their older siblings, and they love being in the spotlight. This attention can mean that they have a harder time learning to be independent, and they can easily feel overshadowed by their siblings leading them to take risks and try new things in order to stand out. Since they grow up with multiple siblings, they also tend to be more socially adept.
As you might expect, middle children exist on a spectrum in between the two extremes. They are extremely ambitious and set lofty goals for themselves, though they tend to make more mistakes along the way. However, they are conscientious enough that they will learn from their (and their siblings’) mistakes and persevere through setbacks.
Since the only child doesn’t have any siblings to look after or compete with, they receive all of their parents’ attention. This can lead to them becoming over-protected and having a difficult time achieving independence, but it also means that they tend to be perfectionists. They feel more pressure to succeed and as a result can experience more stress than their peers. They can sometimes be a bit more self-centered, but they also tend to be more open-minded.
Birth order can also influence intelligence. In a study performed on adults throughout Europe and the United States, results showed that first borns tend to have the highest IQ out of any other group.
So what do you think? Are these results accurate? Please Liked Video with your friends and family on social media and see if they agree!
