What is your number? (Among siblings)

What is your number among the siblings?? That plays a role in your life, attitude and behaviour.

Dharma Sastra, has vested special importance in the first son of the family, because he primarily satiates the pre-requisite duty of the parents, to protect the continious lineage of family,  education, culture etc. Accordingly, has some extra duties in the family, naturally accompanied by few privileges.

Vedic verses suggest that, he is also assigned with the responsibility of preserving/ protecting/ developing the family wealth. (At the same time, they narrate that the one who is accessible  and affable; is the dearest to the parent.)

Even the son of the eldest daugher (Daughter) also has a role to play in the family rituals, in the absence of male issues. Ofcourse, other sons/ daughters too have important duties and key support roles, without which the system could crumble.

Though, these are the factors beyond our control and imaginable reach; they certainly help us understand the patterns of behaviour and get along with them.

Now, an initial study on the behavioural patterns and attitudinal nuances of a sibling; based on the order of his/ her birth in a family has some interesting results. ... Though, not conclusive, it is worth the interest, on a subject common to every one on this globe.

Read on ....

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It has long been blamed for sibling rivalries, now a new study has claimed that birth order may also affect children's personality and level of intelligence.

Researchers at the Adelphi University in Long Island found that while first-borns are typically smarter, younger siblings get better grades and are more outgoing.

According to Tiffany L. Frank, who led the study, the findings give clues about the influence of sibling relationships, which often receive less attention than the mother-child or father-child relationship.

The findings also suggest that some inherent differences between siblings exist and differences that might arise no matter what parents do, she said.

"While parents might want to treat each child equally, it's almost impossible," Frank was quoted as saying by LiveScience.

Earlier studies on the influence of birth order have looked at children from different families. For instance, some studies have looked at US presidents, Nobel Laureates or Nasa astronauts to see whether they are mostly first-born children or later born children.

US presidents and science Nobel Laureates were found to be overwhelmingly first-borns, as were 21 of the first 23 Nasa astronauts.

However, these studies cannot take into account the influences that arise from children being in the same family, such as the competition that might exist between siblings, Frank said at the 118th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association in San Diego.

In the current study, Frank and her colleagues surveyed 90 pairs of siblings in high school. The subjects were asked to report their grades and rank themselves as compared with their siblings on intelligence, work ethic and academic performance.

The researchers also obtained academic tests scores and grades to verify the students' own reports.

It was found that first-borns received higher tests scores, in math and verbal ability, while later born children had better grade point averages in English and math.

In a second experiment researchers looked at differences in personality between 76 pairs of siblings in high school. Subjects rated themselves on a series of statements designed to assess personality. 

Later born siblings were found to be more extroverted (sociable, outgoing), sentimental, forgiving and open to new experiences than their older siblings. First-borns were found to be more perfectionists than their younger siblings.
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(This has a bipartisan reference not based the order of birth of the writer. This has a caveat, that exceptions are likely among this study.)