Image by Dan/Kelli Oakley from Pixabay
Since 1908, the concept of birth order has influenced our thinking about children’s personalities.
The theory, proposed by Austrian psychiatrist, Alfred Adler, was designed to explain why kids in the same family had different personalities.
He felt that the first child would fare best because of the undivided attention of parents.
The second child would feel dethroned and, in a three-child family, would suffer from neurosis leading to substance abuse.
The youngest child was likely to be the most successful. None of his observations was scientifically supported.
Recently, a study of 20,000 adults from several parts of the world proved that critical personality traits such as extraversion, emotional stability, agreeableness and conscientiousness were not affected by birth order. It’s good to know he was wrong.
Our birth order rank doesn’t dictate our future.
Claudia
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