How birth order effects your life
 

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1673284-1,00.html

This is an article written in Time Magazine that describes many studies that essentially say that there is strong statistical evidence that your birth order(first, middle, last) has a strong correlation with various personality and physical traits.

First borns are more likely to be bigger, have a higher IQ, and have a better paying job.

Last borns are much more likely to be risk takers, be funnier, and make less money.

I didn't look through any of their sources, but this hits home with me since my family has 2 older brothers who are both pretty successful, and a younger one who just got suspended from college for partying too much, who is also really funny.

Just thought it was an interesting article to share, and wondered if you all had any thoughts.
James

Re: How birth order effects your life
 

if you kill your older siblings do you take over their positive traits?

Re: How birth order effects your life
 

[ QUOTE ]
if you kill your older siblings do you take over their positive traits?

[/ QUOTE ]

Probably, but you have to make sure its somewhere in the open because a lot of lightning always comes out for some reason.

Re: How birth order effects your life
 

Most of these traits are more true than not in any example I can think of. Very true for my family.

Re: How birth order effects your life
 

The did a thing about this with small children and how they get attention. 1st borns were more likely to display affection in order to get attention, 2nds were more likely to raise hell.

Re: How birth order effects your life
 

[ QUOTE ]
if you kill your older siblings do you take over their positive traits?

[/ QUOTE ]

If the oldest brother dies, the 2nd brother is said to see a small IQ spike on average. So, yes

Re: How birth order effects your life
 

[ QUOTE ]
The did a thing about this with small children and how they get attention. 1st borns were more likely to display affection in order to get attention, 2nds were more likely to raise hell.

[/ QUOTE ]

Similarly, better looking kids are much more likely to get attention...and height and weight are highly correlated with both birth position and good looks.

James

Re: How birth order effects your life
 

ok so if i don't end up in jail, i can gain the "powers" if you will, of the eldest children in my family?

Re: How birth order effects your life
 

I don't know about other cultures but in the Asian community, the oldest *generally* has the most responsibility as he has to be a role model for his younger siblings and to take care of the family in case something happens to the father.

Re: How birth order effects your life
 

in groups of 3s... the middle ones generally receive the least attention

the oldest one get the most discipline

and the youngest ones are the most spoiled

Re: How birth order effects your life
 

That works pretty well to describe me and my younger brother I think.

Re: How birth order effects your life
 

OP,

I kind of see this already in my two kids(girls 4/6), as far as the examples you mentioned. The older girl is bright and already excelling in school. The younger one is a maniac on her bike etc., kind of goofy and we're having more of a challenge getting her interested in the educational stuff that came naturally to the older one.

Re: How birth order effects your life
 

Still an Eli Manning thread

Re: How birth order effects your life
 

Wow so true in my family

Re: How birth order effects your life
 

i always figured the younger siblings would be smarter because they had more interaction.

Re: How birth order effects your life
 

[ QUOTE ]
i always figured the younger siblings would be smarter because they had more interaction.

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe, but the article also points out that the older siblings benefit from the intelligence gained by having to teach the younger siblings and look after them. As someone who tutored a lot of my idiot frat brothers for tests, I can attest to how much that increased my understanding of things!

James

Re: How birth order effects your life
 

Mostly true in my family, but I am slightly more intelligent than my otherwise worldly brother.

I see this in other families as well that I am close to.

Aren't there a lot more characteristics that seem to be partially defined, or at least shaped, by birth order?

Re: How birth order effects your life
 

there was a book written on this called "born to rebel." ben franklin is an example the author used, being the youngest son of the youngest son for five generations.

Re: How birth order effects your life
 

Seems pretty accurate for my family. I have 2 older sisters...oldest one is a hardworking go-getter with a Harvard MBA...i'm a lazy poker player...looks like all signs point to me being busto in the future.

But at least I'm funnier!

Re: How birth order effects your life
 

[ QUOTE ]
Seems pretty accurate for my family. I have 2 older sisters...oldest one is a hardworking go-getter with a Harvard MBA...i'm a lazy poker player...looks like all signs point to me being busto in the future.

But at least I'm funnier!

[/ QUOTE ]


hahaha

Re: How birth order effects your life
 

[ QUOTE ]
if you kill your older siblings do you take over their positive traits?

[/ QUOTE ]
I think you have to kill them and eat their brains.

Re: How birth order effects your life
 

I am the oldest and this is definitely true. Except I'm still funnier.

Re: How birth order effects your life
 

I am the 2nd of 5.

The oldest is not the smartest and does not have the best paid job.
Highest IQ would be either me or the "baby" of the family - we each claim it is the other.

If you count self-made millionaire then number 3 has the best paying job.

I am the funniest - no question of that. Number 3 is also the biggest risk taker. He is also the tallest.

With my own kids I can't give an answer about it all.
I have 4 kids.

The second one has the highest IQ and is the tallest and fattest.
The oldest one is the big chance taker.

Maybe I just have a weird family.

Re: How birth order effects your life
 

5 kids throws it all out of whack obviously. Kill 2 of them and then compare

Re: How birth order effects your life
 

Out of my 11 brothers and 6 sisters, I'd have to say in all honestly my mother was a whore.

Re: How birth order effects your life
 

I'm sure all that stuff is true, but I don't think it is true in my family.

Whenever there is any article or scientific study on differences between groups of people, you need to consider that usually the differences within a group are usually larger than the differences between groups.

For instance in the study cited in the article there was a 3 point difference in IQ scores between 1st born and 3rd born people. So while it is true that 1st borns may have a higher IQ on average, there are still large number of 3rd borns who are smarter than there 1st born siblings.

Disclaimer: I am third born in my family and I am the tallest, probably have the highest IQ (can't be sure), and probably make more money than my oldest brother. I am considered the funny one though.

Re: How birth order effects your life
 

All,

OK, well, I left this open for longer than normal because James rules so much, but it looks this is more of a "hmm, interesting" topic than one that generates interesting discussion.