Does birth order actually affect personality?

[Apple1996]

Which are you? And do you think its true for you?

[joyjoy123]

I think that depends on how the situation is played out as they grow up. The age gap, personalities, culture, environment, and parental treatments/expectations, are huge influences with one another.

My siblings are only one year apart and our dynamic is different compared to my friend who has a 10 year gap with her sibling. My siblings and I are more playful with one another while my friend has a more mature interaction. Also in my family it's the middle who is the high-achiever. They are both dominant though and I'm submissive because that's how my culture is shaped.

But of course in other families it's not the same. I know someone where the oldest is the meekest. An only child who is spoiled. An only child who is like a wallflower. etc etc

[MissDawn7961]

yes it does ! I am the youngest of 6 ! My oldest sister Sharron is 17 years older then me and has never been married nor had children ! Sharron insisted on telling our mom what I should and should not do even when I was asking my mom for permission to do it ! So Sharron being the oldest has affected her personality to where no one wants to be around Sharron ! Thanks

[Nik1hil]

It's not the birth order..

But it's the treatment of parents.. In raising them..
Kids adopted do not show this pattern..

Like as a middle kid I know I learned to be lone.
When father prioritized the elder brother..
And mom was busy with younger one..
Both parents thought..
The other parent was looking after me..
And that when I became a lonesome cruiser.. Because both the laps were taken..

This explains loner part In your theory..
Just like that everywhere same situations happen all the time giving similar results

[DeviloftheValleys]

I am the middle child, but has been the eldest alive since my brother died almost eight years ago.

When I was younger I definitely fit into the middle child description, but now I fit into oldest and youngest equally and not at all into the middle child category.

[Apple1996]

Sorry about your brother

[DeviloftheValleys]

Thank you for the kind words.

[NearlyNapping]

That's old psychology that has been debunked. The current consensus is that there is little to nothing to it. At most it might affect young children, but as they get older there is no distinguishable difference.

[Apple1996]

Haha have you ever heard of middle child syndrome? I feel like that shows through to adulthood.

[NearlyNapping]

I heard of it decades ago. It's been debunked.

[Apple1996]

by the way I love your username

[ThomasSt]

There is so many of these things like this that try to put you in an overarching theme. Notice how none of them are bad? I think it is just to make kids feel good about themselves and is truly meaningless.

You have birth order
Astrology
Numerology
Personality Tests

All of this doesn't matter and is untrue.

What matters is how you are raised (parents, environment, values, etc.)
Who you personally want to be, what values you want to practice, not some website test.

[SuperManiac]

I'm the eldest one (but just have one younger sister), and that seems to describe me reasonably well growing up as well as the youngest describing my sister. She was the rebel. I had my little rebellious streak though after university and landing a nice job (which also got me traveling a lot with a long distance between me and my younger sister).

[Orangeandturquoise]

Well yeah, but not because of the fact of being born after one or none but because of the difference in environment each sibling was raised in. The first born will always have a memory, no matter how far behind, of being an only child and having all the parents' attention to him or herself

[Grond21]

Yes it does. Because the weight of the position will affect what the kids focus on. They also compare themselves to each other and will often choose to be different than another sibling which can drastically affect their personality long-term

[Apple1996]

Yeah siblings always want to be the complete opposite of each other

[Grond21]

Right, exactly

[johnieohm]

the way you are raised and what you experience shape the way you view the world, now this can and will change as you get older and experience new situations. generally speaking the ages between 0- and 5 are the most vital for developing your world and how you view others

[naijagurl]

I think there is a lot of truth to it but it doesn’t apply to all families. Birth order is definitely very accurate in my family. Parents can’t help but treat their kids differently (especially the oldest) and that affects how they turn out.

[Rica_ChicaUSA]

I’m the oldest sibling, but I definitely am not dominant over my brother. He’s only 18 and I’m almost 23, but he is by far considered the dominant one. And I’m not stressed either

[SjE78]

not exactly no, but how we raise the kids and what influences they have in life... also what role models and what morals are bestowed upon them and taught them

[Anonymous]

Yes, i think so. I am a middle child, and my husband is a youngest... sounds about right. My oldest child does match the description of the oldest... my youngest daughter right now matches the youngest description.

[EpicDweeb]

It does make a very big difference. I'm the youngest of 8 kids and can attest to this seeing the differences between each of my siblings.

[Clo917]

I'm the youngest. It's semi true, but I'm not a risk taker or outgoing. I'm a mix of middle and youngest I think.

[CandacePerry]

It kinda. My star is cancer. Like video games and love match’s. Very good with technology. I am mild child. I got the good looks.

[constant_freeflow]

I would say so as there sibling learn from the older ones on how to act around parents in which they develop simple traits or adding to the traits they already have by outside influences by the time of adolescents

[Dark93]

Im first born, but based off the picture I act like a middle child. But in the end this descriptions are very basic generalizations and most likely not very accurate and don't encompass a person's full personality.

[rareasrae]

Yup, I’m oldest. Not sure about those traits but I know for sure there’s an impact

[BeMuse]

I’m the middle of three guys. Those don’t describe any of us. Go back to the drawing board.

[More_Pockets]

Im the youngest with an older sister. We're both rebellious but i look up to her.

[Quidthonian]

Yes it does. I follow personality typing websites. I have participated in one of their on-line research programs. I am the oldest sibling and an INTJ. So, the above info-graphic holds true for me.

[Agape93]

I’m an only child but I have traits from all three.