Birth Order
Have you ever had problems socializing with others? Do you act differently with several groups of people? Ever felt needy of other people’s approval? Almost all of the time, we blame ourselves for these undesirable traits, because we believe that our choices made us that way. In reality, some of these choices are not actually made by us; instead they are passed on to us the day we were born.
Birth order is defined as the rank in which a person is born relative to his/her siblings. Birth order is believed to have a profound effect in the psychological development of a person. Often, we could hear people say things like, “middle children are attention-seekers” or something like “last born children are always stubborn and spoiled”. These statements are often stereotypes and may even be insulting, but we cannot deny that they hold some truth.
Alfred Adler was the first theorist to suggest that birth order does influence a person’s personality. Even though the theory received much controversy and dispute, most of the theorists agreed that birth order does often affect the individual’s style of life, how he deals with friendship, love and how he copes with problems. Some modern theorists also observed that some birth order traits can last an entire lifetime.
The theory of birth order influencing a person’s personality is not yet proven scientifically up to this date. There are numerous published materials stating that birth order does dictate the role a child takes in the family. However, recent studies indicate that while birth order does influence certain aspects of personality, these aspects are usually those that are not considered to be enduring or permanent. And since most people do not spend most of their lives at their childhood home, effects are not life-long.
Here are some of the typical characteristics that can be identified with each group.
First Child
- Usually the most dominant and superior among the siblings
- May develop a sense of responsibility over others
- May be discouraged at times due to pressure
- Is often very competent
Second Child
- Inferior compared to first child
- Often seeks to differ from the first child
- May get rebellious
- Tries to compete with the first child
Last Child
- No sense of responsibility
- Develops sense of inferiority over other siblings
- May take up speed and become better than siblings
Only Child
- Almost definitely spoiled and pampered
- Self-centered
- Likes to do things his way
Middle Child of Three
- Usually has “Middle Child Syndrome”
- Feels unloved and left out
- Does not get enough attention
- Seeks approval
More birth order traits here.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
I am a middle child. Im 15, and i do think the youngest does get spoiled and the oldest does get a lot of attention. But obviously they are like that for reason. Iv done a lot of research on birth order for an information speech i have to do. And what i have learned is that being middle child has just as many opportunities as being oldest or youngest. We are very good in romantic situations, and we can almost make anyone fall with our charm. There shouldn’t be a thing called middle child syndrome. Doing that is just making another way for us to complain about how we dont get enough attention. If we want attention we should fight for it. There is no need to sit here and diss out siblings. They should get to enjoy there life just as we should get to.
Everyone with or without a sibling, no matter what his/her birth order is…has, as my eldest would say, “issues.” The middle child gets plenty of attention in my household, whether she is present or not. I know the same goes for my younger (middle) brother. Parents love their children the best they know how. We need to stop labeling — for our children’s sakes. They can google quicker than we can and pride themselves for being able to add one more excuse for whatever their current syndrome is to the list. (First born parent of three)
I would have to disagree with you. Although in some housholds like yours middle children get more attention, in many they do not. And judging by the fact you are the eldest, i dont expect you to understand. Im not saying you have to agree with every birth order trait (personally I agree with all of the ones on this page) please understand this is not labeling. Rather, it is just stating the obvious.
As i said before you being he oldest makes a large difference. i am a m
I don’t think that the youngest is going to be better and that shouldn’t say that, its going to make people feel mad. Even my older sister didn’t like that. Just because the youngest avoided everything the other siblings did wrong (which means she/he doesn’t even get to go throw the BS in life) doesn’t make them better. If anything their spoiled and know that they could get away with anything so they do dumber shit then what me and my sister have done. Like my younger does, weed, smokes, drinks, sneaks out most of the time(which is dumb because my parents are always saying she can go) and cries when she doesn’t get what she wants. My ex best friend was the youngest but she herself would yell at me when ever I didn’t do what she wanted me to, she was like that with everyone. I know that their not all like that because my other friend is the youngest and shes really nice and isn’t spoiled no one in her family is. So they should really change that about the youngest being the better one.
I am a 28 year old male born between two other males of 30 and 22 years old. Since I was born in the middle, then technically I would be a middle child but because of the difference in age between me and my younger brother, would my personality actually be more like a younger child or would it be more like a middle child?
My parents did not legally name me until I was eight years old. I was named after the holiday on which I was born. Middle child, two older brothers, two younger sisters.