Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Does birth order really affect your personality?

From Psychologies Magazine:

Dr. Kevin Leman is the author of the bookThe Birth Order Connection, and he says there’s definitely a link between where kids rank in the pecking order, and their behavior. Here’s how it breaks down:

  • Let’s start with FIRST BORNS. Leman says these kids are natural leaders and high achievers – and this often comes from a sense of entitlement and superiority. They pay attention to detail and are organized. But they can be moody and insensitive to others’ feelings. They’re also bad at delegating, because they don’t trust others as much as they trust themselves. That’s why they’re often stressed out. In control, but stressed out.

  • MIDDLE CHILDREN. The classic middle child is a people pleaser who hates confrontation. They’re usually calm, down to earth and great listeners. And they make excellent negotiators. Middle kids are usually less driven than their older sibling, but more eager to be liked - that’s why they have trouble setting limits.

  • Then there are the LAST BORNS – the babies of the family. Dr. Lemen says they’re the world’s cheerleaders. They usually have great people skills and love to entertain. They make friends easily and are good at making people feel at home. Last borns are also more likely to take risks – probably because they get bored quickly. They also fear rejection and have a fairly short attention span.

  • ONLY CHILDREN. They’re task-oriented and tend to be well organized and dependable. Only children feel comfortable with responsibility, but they can be demanding and unforgiving – and they hate to admit they’re wrong. They’re also sensitive, according to Dr. Lemen, and their feelings are easily hurt. But if you have an idea you want to get off the ground, they’re the people to go to.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Great work.