You the oldest sibling? Just say Bollocks to new research.

Posted on by Live & Learn

children, memories,

Dear Brothers (both younger, adults, but needing direction):

Remember the research on margarine vs. butter? This falls on the same playing field. Don’t believe everything you read.

ScienceDaily, July 15, 2015:
Massive study: Birth order has no meaningful effect on personality or IQ:
For those who believe that birth order influences traits like personality and intelligence, a study of 377,000 high school students offers some good news: Yes, the study found, first-borns do have higher IQs and consistently different personality traits than those born later in the family chronology. However, researchers say, the differences between first-borns and ‘later-borns’ are so small that they have no practical relevance to people’s lives.

~ University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

If you missed the prior post on my Brother Rich, here’s the link; “New Research. Bull. It’s the natural order.

Notes: Photograph: Thank you Emily RC Photography

36 thoughts on “You the oldest sibling? Just say Bollocks to new research.”

  5. Hmm…second to the youngest out of six children..What influential significance did that have on me.? I say it had a huge impact. I learned by observation, I learned give and take, survival skills and so much more. It was an advantage to have siblings, older and younger, brothers and sisters…Two much older brothers (one has passed) and the four girls all within a five year span…”The study controlled for potentially confounding factors — such as a family’s economic status, the number of children and the relative age of the siblings at the time of the analysis — that might skew the results, Damian said.”

  7. As the first born in my family, I, too, must taken exception to these findings. And from my alma mater no less! And I am not letting the evidence presented by my younger brother, who’s a skilled plastic surgeon, dissuade me from my right-headed thinking, oh no I’m not….

  10. Interesting. Where do most bloggers come in ? Results are pretty clear. I had many comments on my Birth Order post. Here is the tally: 21 Bloggers
    FIRST BORN – 15. MIDDLE CHILD – 5. YOUNGEST – 0. CLONE – 1.

  11. Ahhh yes, first-borns may be slightly more intelligent, but I can guarantee you from firsthand experience as the sensitive middle child they can be stubborn as mules and (sometimes) dumb as a sack of hammers!

      1. Ah yes. I’ve been noodling my response. Too harsh, run to Mommy. Too soft, he’ll completely miss the point. Needs to be like a 15 lb anvil from 10′ up.

    2. Ahhh yes, Rich Van Winkle has awakened from his stupor. “Sensitive?” Wow. Thou giveth himself far too much credit. But, I need to give you credit. You were up before noon, while our youngest brother is still having breakfast. Sad, really. Both of you.

  12. I’ve found that following scientific studies is like following political polls. Since each are initiated by impressionable and fallable men and women, it should then not matter in the least if one chooses to consume white or wheat bread.
    “There are more things in heaven and earth,Horatio,…”
    -Alan

  13. Hmm… My oldest brother is the biggest baby and the most coddled. The 2nd, my oldest sister, is the most organized and mothers everyone. The 2 middles – a boy then a girl – are both quiet worriers who turn everything inward.
    And then there’s me – the youngest. Not a baby by any stretch of the imagination. I love them all but we are vastly different 😀 MJ

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