Birth Order Effects on Personality

Transcription

1 Birth Order Effects on Personality How does Birth Order affect our Personalities? Jake Reini 8 th Grade Project- Y Section (Even) The Walker School Mr. Surkan Word Count: 999 December 14, 2010

2 Reini 2 Although many people do not believe that birth order, a person s rank among his or her siblings, is the main aspect that affects our personalities, it is a large factor in developing personalities. Some think that our parent s genes, parenting skill, and socioeconomic status have a larger effect on our personalities than birth order does. Birth order is a valid theory that applies to many men, women, and children around the world, but there are exceptions. Alfred Adler, an Austrian psychologist, developed the theory that birth order affected the personality of people. Adler theorized that not only a child s parents affect his or her personality, but also the child s siblings or lack of siblings. He thought his theory of birth order could help people understand themselves, and each other, but should not be taken very seriously. (Boeree) Adler developed predictions of what a child s personality would be like. Not every child will fall under these projections of the personality because everybody is different. There are other factors that affect personality, such as how far apart the children are in age and gender. (Ibid) Only children are typically spoiled because their parents do not have any other children to spread their time, money, and love on (Wood). Despite being spoiled and the center of attention, only children are often mature for their age because they grow up around adults (Ibid). Only children are also often seen as high-achieving, motivated, and successful children in life (Eischens). Early in life, a first born child will have many of the same traits that an only child has because the first born is an only child until another child comes into the family (Guilbeau). When this happens, the first born of the family goes through dethronement because the next child will take over the position of power in the family (Ibid). Many first born children often have to mature quickly to take care of younger siblings even if the first born is still learning how to take care of them self (Ibid).

3 Reini 3 Middle children normally develop a competitive nature early in life because they are stuck between the oldest and youngest children (Wood). Being stuck in the middle can have very positive impacts on middle children because this makes them eager for praise from their parents, which will help them develop academic abilities (Wood). Middle children do not receive as much attention as older or younger siblings, which can have negative impacts on a middle child (Collins). Last born children also tend to be more selfish and dependent than their siblings because they are used to other people providing for them (Leman 72). Last born children tend to be more adventurous because their parents know how to take care of children by the time the last child is born so the parents are less strict (Pawlik-Kienlen). Although the birth order projections apply to many children, they do not apply to all children. Psychologists argue that even though birth order may have some effects on identity it does not entirely shape a child s personality. As Adler said, the birth order theory should not be taken too seriously. (Jones) In an Effects of Birth order on Personality Survey of Walker Middle School students in Marietta, Georgia, by Jacob Reini, conducted on November 8, 2010, 36 people responded. Of the respondents, 23 were 8 th graders at Walker, five were 7 th graders at Walker, and eight were 6 th graders at Walker, and the majority of the respondents were female. (Reini) Approximately 36% of the respondents agreed with the birth order personality traits listed in the survey, and only 8.3% of the students disagreed with the traits. On a scale of one to five of how accurately the traits matched themselves (five being strongly), more people answered four and five than people who answered one and two. Four of the 36 students were neutral. When respondents were asked to rate on a scale of one to five of how much birth order has affected

4 Reini 4 their personality, 7 people did not think birth order has affected their personality, but 18 did think birth order affected their personality. (Reini) Overall, the people who took the survey believed in the birth order theory and personality traits. The respondents did not agree with the theory 100%, but enough to say that Adler s theory had some truth to it. One of the students who partially agreed said I believe the stated birth order traits are the norm - generally true -Always exceptions to every generality. People who thought birth order was not the main aspect that affects personality said No. I think that birth order has a major affect on siblings but also depending on gender, it can affect the personality and Who you are may depend more on how our parents treat you. Students who had ideas on which siblings are favored and how different siblings are treated said Older children tend to be more spoiled, and the younger the children get the harder they have to work. From the responses of the birth order survey, birth order does affect most peoples personalities. (Reini) All people have biases so the answers to the survey were biased depending on the respondent s personal experiences. The people who responded to the survey could have been unqualified to answer the survey which may lower the credibility of some of the answers. For one looking to continue the research of The Effects of Birth Order on Personality, they could interview an expert on Birth Order to gain the expert s opinion on the subject. (Reini) The survey on birth order received many insightful answers, but these are not the opinions of experts. There are more reasons to believe that Adler s theory that birth order affects personality has truth to it, than there are reasons that it does not. Alfred Adler once said, Man knows much more than he understands. The Birth Order theory is very complex, so there may

5 Reini 5 be aspects of the theory that psychologists have not discovered or do not understand fully. The Birth Order theory developed by Alfred Adler seems to be for the most part, a valid theory.

6 Reini 6 Works Cited Boeree, C. George. "Alfred Adler." My Webspace Files Web. 03 Nov < Collins, Hailey. "Birth Order Traits Demystified - Middle Child Personality." EzineArticles Submission - Submit Your Best Quality Original Articles For Massive Exposure, Ezine Publishers Get 25 Free Article Reprints. Web. 03 Nov < Personality&id= >. Eischens, Alissa D. "The Dilemma of the Only Child." Great Ideas in Personality--Theory and Research Web. 03 Nov < Grose, Michael. "How Birth Order Affects Children's Behavior and Personality by Michael Grose." Boloji.com - A Study in Diversity - News, Views, Analysis, Literature, Poetry, Features - Express Yourself. 4 Dec Web. 04 Oct < Guilbeau, Nina. "Birth Order Personalities - Youngest - Siblings." BellaOnline -- The Voice of Women Web. 03 Nov < Jones, Bean. "Birth Order Controversy: Does Being First, Middle, or Last Make You Who You Are? Simpleology Blog." Simple ology - The Simple Science of Getting What You Want (index-video). 28 Aug Web. 03 Nov <

7 Reini 7 Leman, Kevin, and Kevin Leman. The New Birth Order Book: Why You Are the Way You Are. Grand Rapids, MI: F.H. Revell, Print. Pawlik-Kienlen, Laurie. "How Birth Order Changes Your Life: The Personality Traits of First Born, Middle, and Youngest Children." Suite101.com: Online Magazine and Writers' Network. 1 Nov Web. 03 Nov < Reini, Jacob. Effects of Birth Order on Personality Survey. Online Survey. 8 Nov Wood, Danielle. "First Born? Only Child? How Birth Order Affects Personality " Education.com An Education & Child Development Site for Parents Parenting & Educational Resource. Web. 09 Dec < /article/ed_first_born_only_how/>.