Birth Order And Children’s Personalities – Fact Or Fiction
Alfred Adler, a contemporary of two other well-known psychiatrists, Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung, had some very interesting theories about family and social interaction. Primarily, Adler was fascinated with human nature acted on in terms of social interest and in fact, the term “social interest” can be traced directly back to Adler and his concepts. Social interest, as defined by Adler, is a person’s willingness to contribute to those around him or her.
Once Adler came upon his theory of social interest, he took it a step further. The concept of birth order was his study of sibling interactions and psychological aspects at birth, or more precisely, how being the first, middle or youngest child affected the person’s social interaction later on in life. We are all intrigued when it comes down to finding out why we do the things we do. While you read through the Adler’s following breakdown, think about your own position in regards to your siblings:
- The oldest child tends to be analytical, detailed, a methodical; this child values control. He/she sets the example for younger children. They are used to being “number one.”
- Second-born children are often in competition with the oldest child; if the oldest is good at math, the second-born will ignore math and find something that he/she excels with in a manner superior to the talents of the oldest child.
Read the rest of this article here: Birth Order In Children
