How birth order in a family shapes an individual’s personality

How birth order in a family shapes an individual’s personality

The article talks about the beliefs that people hold about how birth order in a family shapes an individual’s personality. Birth order expert Frank Sulloway says that despite this only being a theory, these differences in personalities always exist. Roles siblings adopt lead to differences in behavior and not the biological fact that a child is born first or seventh. According to Sulloway, firstborns model parents’ practices.

Firstborns,  have confidence and like taking charge, says Kevin Leman. Adults take them seriously, and that boosts their confidence. Firstborns are perfectionists; they want to get everything right the first time around. Parents tend to hold firstborns up as role models for younger siblings; this can be stressful. They should thus be granted some privileges too. Once firstborns fill a role, the second born will seek out a character that is the opposite.

Middle children are the hardest to label since their personalities emerge in response to how they perceive the next oldest sibling in the family. If the older sibling is a parent pleaser, the middle child might rebel to get attention. On the other hand, last borns usually shoulder fewer responsibilities than their siblings. Only children are confident, well-spoken and spend too much time near adults that make them feel like little adults. Twins usually don’t follow typical birth order roles, says Nancy.

Therefore, according to this theory, birth orders affect personalities. Firstborns tend to be responsible and confident as they would want to do things right like their parents. Second borns can become rebels in the family as they seek to catch the attention of their parents as they seek out roles different from the ones filled by firstborns. Lastborns can be less responsible as they usually shoulder fewer responsibilities in a family. They become more carefree and friendly.

Therefore, to an extent, the above work, that childbirth order may determine their personalities is correct according to the arguments given

 

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