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Related: > Recent research has consistently found that earlier born children score slightly higher on average on measures of intelligence, but has found zero,

Related: > Recent research has consistently found that earlier born children score slightly higher on average on measures of intelligence, but has found zero, or almost zero, robust effect of birth order on personality. (Wikipedia, citing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birth_order#cite_note-:0-2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birth_order#cite_note-:0-2)

herbertl 6y ago
This is a really cool topic to me, I vaguely remember coming across a book on how birth order determines personality (or life), but I can't remember it now. Diving into that link to try to find...
mewpmewp2 6y ago
Would also be interesting to know about single children intelligence vs children with siblings etc. Not only averages, but percentage of geniuses and other small details like this.
crazygringo 6y ago
Thanks. I've been finding more and more "things everyone knows is true" that turn out to be false lately, and they're always things you'd never suspect. I'd always assumed the idea of youngest siblings being the most extroverted, personable, bubbly etc. was supported by studies, it's such an "obvious" fact. Very valuable to find out it's yet another unfounded assumption! Always useful to spread these things.
- boogies 6y ago
  The research itself does say “This finding contradicts lay beliefs and prominent scientific theories alike”¹, though “On the basis of the high statistical power and the consistent results across samples and analytical designs, we must conclude that birth order does not have a lasting effect on broad personality traits outside of the intellectual domain.” (end of the abstract’s first paragraph https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4655522/#idm140683280904096title https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4655522/#idm140...). ¹Last sentence of §Significance https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4655522/#idm140683204164432title https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4655522/#idm140...

herbertl 6y ago

This is a really cool topic to me, I vaguely remember coming across a book on how birth order determines personality (or life), but I can't remember it now. Diving into that link to try to find...

mewpmewp2 6y ago

Would also be interesting to know about single children intelligence vs children with siblings etc. Not only averages, but percentage of geniuses and other small details like this.

crazygringo 6y ago

Thanks. I've been finding more and more "things everyone knows is true" that turn out to be false lately, and they're always things you'd never suspect. I'd always assumed the idea of youngest siblings being the most extroverted, personable, bubbly etc. was supported by studies, it's such an "obvious" fact. Very valuable to find out it's yet another unfounded assumption! Always useful to spread these things.

boogies 6y ago
The research itself does say “This finding contradicts lay beliefs and prominent scientific theories alike”¹, though “On the basis of the high statistical power and the consistent results across samples and analytical designs, we must conclude that birth order does not have a lasting effect on broad personality traits outside of the intellectual domain.” (end of the abstract’s first paragraph https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4655522/#idm140683280904096title https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4655522/#idm140...). ¹Last sentence of §Significance https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4655522/#idm140683204164432title https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4655522/#idm140...