If you've got siblings, you're probably more than aware of how different each of you are. Whether you're the oldest, youngest or middle child, scientists are convinced that our rank within our families can determine our personality traits.
Of course, we all have our own opinion on the matter too - I'm the youngest and definitely think some of my selfishness and tendency to get my own way - because my parents gave up by the time I came along - stems from being the youngest daughter.
Kim Kardashian recently opened up how her eldest child, 10-year-old daughter North, doesn't interact much with her siblings. In a newly-aired episode of The Kardashians, Kim said: “I feel like North.. lives her life like an only child, does her thing,” Kim said in confession, adding, “then the two little ones (Chicago and Psalm) are a year apart, so they're like twins almost and they're always together.”
“So Saint loves the little ones, would love North if she would hang out with them, but she won't, so I wanna give him a little bit of attention,” she said of Saint.
As a first-born child, it seems North is displaying typical first-born child characteristics, feeling far maturer than her younger siblings, preferring to spend time alone, while the younger children in the family are more playful.
But what do the experts think? Here's what we found.
The first-born child
According to a study by the University of Illinois, eldest siblings tended to be more extroverted, agreeable and conscientious.
The study also found that firstborn children tend to have a higher IQ than those born later - although it was only by a point or so.
Beware of a “bestie” who keeps one-upping you.
Another study by the University of Essex, came to a similar conclusion, noting that the eldest child, especially if female, is statistically more likely to be the most ambitious and well-qualified of their family, as they tend to carry higher aspirations.
Sam Jahara, psychotherapist and co-founder of Brighton & Hove Psychotherapy, told GLAMOUR that some studies suggest that first-born children “enjoy a distinct advantage over their later-born counterparts in terms of educational attainment." She said: “The level of attention that parents devote to firstborns is usually much higher, but these children will also be on the receiving end of their parent’s anxieties and the overwhelm of being new parents. Oldest children usually enjoy a period of exclusive attention. Being first gains a child some degree of status in the sibling hierarchy which remains even after their siblings come along.”
A study by YouGov, concluded that as older siblings were often left in charge or asked to look after younger siblings, “elder siblings are more likely to feel more organised and able to prioritise their own lives.”
Key characteristics of a first-born
- Extroverted
- Smart
- Ambitious
- Enjoy taking the lead
- Organised
The middle child
According to Jahara, middle children are usually more invested in getting on with others and negotiating for what they need due to being used to sharing resources with their siblings. She says: “Middle children have never known what it is like to have the parent’s exclusive attention, so they come into a world where they are expected to share from the start. Middle children are often called peace-keepers within the family. A middle child may also compete for attention due to their “middle status’ - they are neither the baby or the eldest so they will need to find a way to stand out.”
“Without realising it, most people when they're in moments of upset in their relationships, will talk from analysis.”
In the book The Secret Power Of Middle Children, Psychologist Catherine Salmon and journalist Katrin Schumann spoke about how middle children are often dubbed as neglected (we've all heard of ‘middle child syndrome.') Speaking about their research to Psychologies, Schumann said: “Although middles are neglected, both by parents and researchers, they actually benefit from this in the long run. They become more independent, think outside the box, feel less pressure to conform, and are more empathetic.
“This gives them great skills as employees and also makes them excellent team players and partners.”
She added that, due to their ranking, middle children are more patient, as well as “savvy, skillful manipulators."
Key characteristics of a middle child
- Team players
- Patient
- Independent
- Empathetic
- Skillful manipulators
The youngest child
“By the time the third child comes along, parents are usually more relaxed about raising their youngest,” says Jahara. “The older siblings will also play a role in their sibling’s upbringing and so the burden isn’t exclusively on the parents. With the first born being the ‘responsible high achiever', and the middle child the 'peace-maker', the pressure is usually off the youngest. However, this can also lead to them feeling like they are ‘lagging behind’ or are insignificant.”
Researchers at the universities of Reading and Birmingham concluded that the baby of the family is more likely to take risks when it comes to business – and, according to The Sunday Times more likely to become an entrepreneur.
How to find yours (and your partners).
This is supposedly thanks to having a ‘born to rebel’ personality trait that make them “exploratory, unconventional and tolerant of risk”.
A YouGov study also concluded that the youngest child in a family tends to be more chilled out and have a funny sense of humour.
Key characteristics of a younger child
- Easy-going
- Funny
- Risk-takers
- Entrepreneurial
