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You've probably heard that the oldest sibling tends to be a more responsible person.

And it's also said that only children are more likely to be selfish and demanding.

So are these just stereotypes or is it true that our birth order in the family influences our personality?

Let's try to shed light on this intriguing question together!

Alfred Adler, a colleague of Sigmund Freud, is at the origin of the theory of the order of birth which emerged in the late 1920s.

Adler thought that the order in which you are born into a family deeply affects your personality. Look :

The eldest (oldest)

Character traits :perfectionist, winner, leader, authoritarian, serious, self-confident, conscientious, dominant, cautious, reliable.

According to Adler, the oldest in the family tends to be conservative. He is drawn to power and predisposed to leadership.

Because they often take responsibility for their younger siblings, older siblings often become caring children.

They are thus more willing to become parents themselves and more inclined to take initiatives.

The younger (the second child)

Character traits : sociable, can feel rejected, sometimes rebellious, adapts easily, independent, matchmaker, seeks to please everyone

Since it is the older brother or sister who sets their pace on the younger, the latter often struggles to surpass them.

As a result, he often learns much faster than others.

Cadets often tend to be ambitious, but they are rarely selfish.

They are also more likely to set particularly ambitious goals, even if this is unreasonable.

Suddenly, they are faced with a greater number of failures.

But knowing how to face the difficulties of life makes them stronger.

The youngest (the last born)

Character traits :sociable, charming, extrovert, easy-going, needs attention, independent, fun-loving.

Usually, the youngest in the family receives a lot of care and attention from their parents and even older siblings.

As a result, they may feel less resourceful and independent than their elders.

However, the newborns are also usually very motivated to outdo their older siblings.

Very often, they find success and are recognized in the field they have chosen.

Thus, it is not uncommon for them to become athletes or great musicians.

The youngest children in a family tend to be very sociable, although they are likely to be more irresponsible and frivolous than their elders.

The only child

Character traits : likes to be the center of attention, needs recognition, sensitive, mature for their age, perfectionist, conscientious, leader and self-confident.

With no brothers or sisters to compete with, the only child is often in competition with his father.

If too pampered by their parents, the only child expects to be pampered and protected from all other children.

Dependence and egocentricity can characterize these children.

The only child may have difficulty interacting with their peers.

Many children without siblings turn out to be perfectionists.

Why ? Because they want to achieve their goals at all costs.

Does birth rank impact IQ?

The theory that the order you and your siblings were born impacts your personality and your IQ has been on the rise for some time.

However, it should be noted that it also deeply divides researchers.

Some reject this theory completely, while others are convinced that it still plays a role.

For example, researchers at the University of Leipzig conducted a study on more than 20,000 adults in the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany.

In this study, they compared siblings within their families and their birth order.

They found that seniors generally score better on intelligence tests.

However, scientists have found no impact of birth order on emotional stability and imagination.

How does this affect their personality?

Another study provided more evidence that birth order influences personality.

Researchers analyzed the character traits of 377,000 high school students in the United States.

Here are their results: Seniors tend to be more honest and dominant.

However, they are also less sociable and less resistant to stress.

Cadets tend to be more conscientious and diligent.

The youngest is more likely to be open and sociable.

As for only children, they are often nervous, but they are also outgoing and sociable.

Does the order of birth really matter?

It must be recognized that the results of these studies contain a number of inaccuracies.

These studies do not take into account social factors, as important as ethnicity, education, parental status and relationships within the family.

Of course, the order of birth can have an impact on a person's personality or intelligence.

But we must not forget that the parent-child relationships and the education that children receive at home are much more determining factors in the construction of the personality of individuals.

Your turn...

And you, do you think the order of birth has an influence on the character of people? Let us know in the comments what you think. We can't wait to hear from you!

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