Who's on first

That's me in the back behind my mom.

I  recently read an article  in Psychology Today  about birth order and personality. I'm the second born in a family of six, all girls. This is important.  Had I been born a boy - I would have the personality of the first born even in my family of six because I would be the first and only male. (would that make me an only child too?)

As children, first-borns strive to emulate and please their parents, and often dominate and care for their younger siblings. Parents tend to delegate responsibility to firstborns, who identify with their parents and with authority. Therefore, relative to their younger siblings, first-born children tend to be more extraverted and confident, more conformist and conservative, more conscientious and academically inclined, and more dominant and authoritarian.

First-borns are likely to be least comfortable in situations that require radical change or innovation, in self-managing teams where roles and status are fluid and ambiguous, or in expatriate assignments where they need to adapt to a foreign culture.

Additionally, firstborns may be uncomfortable when they are required to work in subordinate roles.


Is this true first- borns?


 Because second-born children enter a family system in which the first-born niche is already taken, their incentive is to be different and to create their own niche.

Second-born children, relative to their older siblings, tend to be more flexible and open to new experiences, more empathic and altruistic, more creative and innovative, and more rebellious, liberal and interested in foreign cultures, and more concerned with justice and fairness.

Because as children they have less to lose by taking risks, second borns also tend to be more comfortable taking risks.


How about it seconds?



Middle siblings, who lack the dominance of firstborns and the higher degree of attention given to last borns are in a precarious situation and therefore must learn to be diplomatic and political in order to get their way. Relative to their siblings, middle children tend to be more diplomatic and politically skilled, and good at negotiation and compromise.



What do ya say Sis #4,#5?



Only children tend to resemble firstborns, and are achievement-oriented and motivated to please their parents.


Only- borns?




What I know for sure, there are no pictures of me as a baby. It appears I was five at birth. There is, however a giant  portrait of the first born as a baby. Talk to me people.

Sister #4 sent me this.. check it ... kinda right on http://www.rayid.com/main/sibling.htm!

I must confess, I was born at a very early age.
Groucho Marx