There has long been a debate about whether birth order (being the eldest, middle, or youngest child) impacts personality, with some arguing that these ideas are based on weak evidence. However, recent research suggests that birth order does indeed have meaningful effects on personality, particularly for middle children.
A study conducted in Canada analyzed data from over 700,000 people and found that middle children tend to be more cooperative compared to their siblings. These middle children scored higher on personality traits related to cooperation and are generally more sociable.
The study indicated that larger families tend to foster more cooperative behaviors, as these children grow up in environments where interaction and cooperation are necessary. This aligns with the findings of a joint study by Brock University and the University of Calgary, which suggests that while the differences aren’t vast, birth order can influence personality traits.
The research gathered data on participants’ birth order or whether they were only children, and also analyzed data from 75,000 individuals about the number of siblings they had. Previous research has suggested that the eldest children tend to be more intelligent, and this study also found similar results but highlighted other differences.
Middle children, in comparison to the eldest and youngest, scored slightly higher in traits related to building better and stronger relationships with others, such as adaptability and genuine connection.
The findings suggest that while the number of siblings plays an important role, birth order itself is also a key factor in shaping personality traits. The study’s results were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
