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Baker Encyclopedia of Psychology and Counseling Birth Order

Galton (1869) was among the first to record that men of genius are more apt to be firstborns, a conclusion supported by studies since that time, including Terman’s (1925) well-known observation of almost 1,500 very bright children. The firstborn has an edge in experience and competence (Toman, 1993), is more apt to be listed in Who’s Who, and is more likely to become a doctor, a lawyer, or an astronaut and to show leadership ability. Other characteristics include superior language ability, higher achievement motivation, a greater sense of responsibility, and a sensitivity to social expectations. On the negative side firstborns are less warm and more anxious than their siblings, are more apt to be brought to the attention of mental health professionals (Abram & Coie, 1981), are sometimes bossy, and tend to feel superior to other people.

irritation to siblings, who feel discriminated against when rules do not apply to all alike. Yet because of the increased freedom, the youngest may become the inventive one in the family, going in a direction quite different from the others.

Part of the confusion in studies on birth order comes because other variables affect the outcome. The sex of the child, the spacing between children, the education of the parents, the socioeconomic status of the family, and the family size are all relevant and must be

Clouse, B. (1999). Birth Order. In D. G. Benner & P. C. Hill (Eds.), Baker encyclopedia of psychology & counseling (2nd ed., p. 147). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.