As the youngest in my family, I can relate to the traits often associated with being the “baby” of the family. My partner is also the youngest, and we both exhibit many of the personality characteristics that birth order theories suggest. However, I use the word “suggest” cautiously, because scientific research on this topic is surprisingly sparse. The impact of our birth order—whether we’re firstborns, middle children, or the youngest—on fundamental personality traits remains a matter of debate. Yet, we frequently find ourselves categorizing our children based on these theories.
I often catch myself thinking, “He’s the eldest, so he must be a natural leader and a bit of a perfectionist,” or “That’s my youngest, always the carefree jokester getting away with everything.” And then there’s my middle child, who I might describe as quiet, agreeable, and somewhat passive. But can we genuinely attribute these traits to their position in the family, or are they shaped more by our parenting styles? Would their personalities be different if their birth order changed?
A recent study has suggested that the order in which children are born could even influence their intelligence. Researchers from institutions like the University of Edinburgh and the University of Sydney found that firstborns tend to score higher on IQ tests than their younger siblings. The reasoning? Parents often engage less in intellectually stimulating activities with subsequent children, which may hinder their cognitive development. This seems obvious—after all, parents simply don’t have the same amount of time to devote to each child as they did with the first.
Naturally, firstborns across the nation eagerly shared this finding on social media, much to the annoyance of their middle and youngest siblings. This idea that firstborns are inherently smarter first emerged in the 19th century, when a scientist noticed many of his colleagues were firstborns. In the late 1920s, Alfred Adler, a colleague of Freud, posited that firstborns feel “dethroned” when a new sibling arrives, leading to a mix of neuroticism and leadership qualities. Adler, a middle child himself, suggested that the youngest sibling ends up being spoiled and outgoing, while middle children become independent and somewhat rebellious.
Despite the limited scientific support for these claims, we continue to cling to them, often proudly asserting that our children fit neatly into these molds. However, a 2015 study analyzing over 20,000 adults found that birth order had minimal impact on traits like extraversion, emotional stability, and agreeableness. Moreover, research published in the Journal of Personality involving more than 350,000 high school students revealed no significant correlation between birth order and personality development.
So, why do these beliefs persist? It appears that birth order theories function similarly to horoscopes, where individuals can find vague traits that resonate with their experiences. A slight inclination towards leadership in a firstborn can easily be interpreted as them being a “natural leader.” This long-standing belief system perpetuates itself, leaving the middle child, as always, without the recognition they deserve.
In conclusion, while birth order may offer some insights, the science does not support the strong claims often made about its influence on personality.
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