Similar to other eldest children, you are probably more successful than your peers. You likely have a good education and have achieved a great deal professionally. Being the eldest child in your family made it natural for you to go for what you wanted, often with a competitive edge. You tend to be a practical person who is fairly open to constructive feedback. You continually seek ways to accomplish your goals more efficiently.
The Impact of Birth Order
Because individuals can only occupy one birth position, birth order represents a valuable way of categorizing people to ascertain how and to what extent birth order influenced their personality. Below you will be provided with a detailed assessment of how and to what extent your birth order has impacted your development, behavior and interactions as well.
Eldest children are generally the focus of their parents’ attention until younger siblings are introduced into the family. While this early attachment with adults fosters a positive self-image, eldest children tend to be concerned that they will lose their caregivers’ love and attention if younger siblings join the family. Thus, eldest children tend to be sensitive about receiving enough attention, and can also be very competitive in a variety of areas. The flip side of this situation is that when younger siblings arrive, eldest children take on a new role that gives them power and respect. They begin to view themselves as leaders in relation to their younger siblings. To establish authority and protect their role as the eldest sibling, they strive to succeed at everything they do and become even more competitive. Frequently, eldest children grow up enjoying being the center of attention, and can, in certain circumstance, take on a sense of exaggerated self-importance.
Occupations that are generally well suited for only children include politicians, astronauts, college professors or members of other learned groups. This is because eldest children are usually attracted to professions that are powerful and prestigious. Eldest children routinely have a strong desire to be successful.
Famous people who are eldest children are:
Brandy
George W. Bush
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Oprah Winfrey
Katherine Hepburn
Generally, eldest children are the sole focus of their parent’s attention. For eldest children who experience this consistent care and concern, they begin to perceive themselves, from a very early age, as worthy of love and attention. This type of nurturing is usually a key factor in the development of high self-esteem.
Compared to other eldest children your self-esteem is somewhat lower. The influence of birth order on personality is not a simple matter. In some cases, the personality traits believed to be characteristic of individuals of your birth order type may not perfectly match your own traits. This happens due to your unique experiences and dynamics within your family. It may be that your family environment didn’t cultivate the development of your self-esteem, or other circumstances interfered with the development of high self-esteem.
Many eldest children are socialized to strive for success from a very early age. As the eldest in their family, they feel that it is expected that they will achieve more than their younger siblings. Usually, eldest children believe that their hard work and persistence is the key to staying on top and surpassing the accomplishments of their younger siblings.
Compared to other eldest children you’re less focused on achievement. The influence of birth order on personality is not a simple matter. In some cases, the personality traits believed to be characteristic of individuals of your birth order type may not perfectly match your own traits. This is because of your unique experiences and dynamics within your family. There are many ways that your family environment might not have fostered an achievement-oriented approach to life.
For example, it is possible that even though you were the eldest child in the family you were not encouraged or pressured to outperform your siblings. It may also be that other values in your family were given a greater emphasis than becoming a high achiever.
Advantages of Being an Eldest Child
High Self-Esteem
Eldest Child Average
You
Generally, eldest children are the sole focus of their parent’s attention. For eldest children who experience this consistent care and concern, they begin to perceive themselves, from a very early age, as worthy of love and attention. This type of nurturing is usually a key factor in the development of high self-esteem.
Compared to other eldest children your self-esteem is somewhat lower. The influence of birth order on personality is not a simple matter. In some cases, the personality traits believed to be characteristic of individuals of your birth order type may not perfectly match your own traits. This happens due to your unique experiences and dynamics within your family. It may be that your family environment didn’t cultivate the development of your self-esteem, or other circumstances interfered with the development of high self-esteem.
Achievement Oriented
Eldest Child Average
You
Many eldest children are socialized to strive for success from a very early age. As the eldest in their family, they feel that it is expected that they will achieve more than their younger siblings. Usually, eldest children believe that their hard work and persistence is the key to staying on top and surpassing the accomplishments of their younger siblings.
Compared to other eldest children you’re less focused on achievement. The influence of birth order on personality is not a simple matter. In some cases, the personality traits believed to be characteristic of individuals of your birth order type may not perfectly match your own traits. This is because of your unique experiences and dynamics within your family. There are many ways that your family environment might not have fostered an achievement-oriented approach to life.
For example, it is possible that even though you were the eldest child in the family you were not encouraged or pressured to outperform your siblings. It may also be that other values in your family were given a greater emphasis than becoming a high achiever.
Liberal Sexual Views
Eldest Child Average
You
Eldest children tend to be natural performers and seek excitement in their interactions with others. For these reasons, they are usually comfortable in sexual situations and most likely crave adventure and creativity when being intimate.
Compared to other eldest children you are less liberal in your sexual views. The influence of birth order on personality is not a simple matter. In some cases, the personality traits believed to be characteristic of individuals of your birth order type may not perfectly match your own traits. This happens due to your unique experiences and dynamics within your family. There are many ways that your family environment could have influenced you to be less sexually liberal.
Your inclination is likely to be towards predictability and comfort. When it comes to sexuality, you tend to maintain a somewhat conventional view and likely feel most satisfied with traditional types of sex. Seeking adventure may not be a top priority in your sex life, as you may place a higher value on the level of intimacy or depth of emotional connection you share with your partner.
Eldest children often think that because they are the eldest, they have to be better than their siblings at most things. As a result, eldest children tend to set very high goals for themselves and become highly competitive.
Compared to other eldest children you are less competitive. The influence of birth order on personality is not a simple matter. In some cases, the personality traits believed to be characteristic of individuals of your birth order type may not perfectly match your own traits. This happens due to your unique experiences and dynamics within your family. There are many ways that your family environment might not have encouraged you to be competitive. For example, extensive interactions with friends or extended family members might have taught you to value competition less in order to preserve relationships. As a result, when it comes to winning, you might have learned to place a higher priority on being considerate of others.
For example, some caregivers raise their children to value the importance of being sensitive to others rather striving to be better. Similarly, extensive interaction with people outside of your immediate family circle, including friends and extended family members, could have taught you to appreciate being an integral part of a group rather than focus on always trying to win.
For many eldest children, being the center of attention can translate to feeling valued and loved. Some eldest children, although not all, are spoiled by being the sole focus of their parent’s attention. As younger siblings come along, eldest children tend to feel threatened that they will lose the close relationship they have with their parents. In the attempt to regain their central position in the family, many eldest children become quite skilled at drawing attention to themselves.
It is likely that when you are left alone, you may engage in performance-oriented activities, such as dancing or playing a musical instrument. Because of your desire to be the center of attention, you probably tend to be outgoing, entertaining and upbeat when you are around others. However, for many first-borns, the desire to be the center of attention can have negative consequences. Eldest children can be quite self-absorbed and selfish. When things do not go as planned, being rude or having temper tantrums is a possible response.
Eldest children tend to develop an excessive respect for authority. They tend to view their family structure in a hierarchical manner. They perceive themselves as subordinate to parents but in charge of younger siblings. When growing up, eldest children are likely to seek approval and support from caregivers. At the same time, they may feel that being the eldest child in the family gives them the power to supervise and direct younger siblings. As youngest children often rebel against the demands of older siblings, eldest children may grow up being sensitive to the issues of power and authority.
While respecting authority to a certain degree is understandable, it can also involve negative consequences if it’s taken too far. You may tend to make superficial judgments because your evaluations are based on people’s external qualities such as rank or influence rather than internal traits such as character or integrity. When you occupy positions of power you may appear as inflexible and condescending if this behavior was presented to you while you were growing up. When you are in a subordinate role, you may be overly compliant. You might allow your self-perception to be at the mercy of what others think about you, especially if they occupy a position of power. When you receive negative feedback, you may unnecessarily undermine yourself and start questioning your own abilities.
Birth order can have a significant impact on our personalities, relationships, choices, and the lives we ultimately lead. This influence is thought to be due to differential treatment a child receives depending on how he or she fits into the family structure (in addition to the nature of the home environment itself). Even when siblings live in the same household, the experiences they have growing up due to birth order can have a huge impact.
Although the influence of birth order on personality is complex, there are exceptions to the amount of influence it can have. Factors such as family size, presence of step-children and half-siblings, adoptions, divorce, remarriages and deaths in the family are only a few of the elements that complicate the influence of birth order on personality. Also, the way that you are raised, including how your parents treat you and the type of environment in which you grow up (harmonious, chaotic, unpredictable, etc.) will all have a dramatic effect on your personality as well.
In addition, the same personality characteristics may play out differently depending on a person’s situation and background. For example, eldest children tend to be high achievers. This personality characteristic may be demonstrated in a variety of ways. In some eldest children, achievement is demonstrated through obtaining advanced degrees, high salaries and entering prestigious professions. Other eldest children may naturally gravitate toward leadership roles in adulthood, as the experience of being in control and calling the shots is something that becomes familiar to them.
Finally, even though there are numerous family types, psychologists typically study nuclear families with one to three biological children. Other family units are usually not considered and the influence of birth order on personality in “non-traditional” families is not so well understood.
Still, birth order, though not perfect, is a way to help you understand yourself better. You can use your birth order to get additional insight into what motivates you and why. Below you will find a bar showing to what extent you match the profile of each birth order type.
MIDDLE CHILDREN
Middle Children
Middle children are usually very social and outgoing. Most get along with people of any age. They are commonly calm and composed. Many middle children retain the ability to think rationally even in stressful situations. They often appreciate other points of view and are considered selfless by many people. Because middle children sometimes feel that they are lagging behind their older siblings, they may suffer from somewhat lower self-esteem. Under certain circumstances, they may feel that they do not receive as much attention from their parents as their siblings.
Advantages of Middle Children
Intergenerational Social Skills
Most middle children get along with people of any age. They are often able to appreciate diverse points of view and are flexible. This is how you compare to middle children.
Many middle children are warm individuals who love to be helpful. They are usually eager to share and help out whenever they can. This is how you compare to middle children.
Even-Tempered
In general, middle children are peaceful by nature. Their ability to remain calm even in taxing situations makes them excellent negotiators. This is how you compare to middle children.
Feeling of Not Belonging in Your Family
Middle children tend to feel that they do not receive as much attention as their younger and older siblings. At times, they may feel that their needs are ignored or they are taken for granted. This is how you compare to middle children.
Middle children often focus on achievements that are not education related. This is how you compare to middle children.
Best Careers for Middle Children
Middle children, because of their exceptional social skills, are usually well suited for positions that require extensive social interactions. Some of the best careers for middle children include sales people, real estate agents, journalists, comedians, and entertainers.
Famous Middle Children
Britney Spears
Jay Leno
David Letterman
Donald Trump
Barbara Walters
Youngest Children
Youngest children often tend to be social, outgoing and fun to be around. They likely feel energized when around people. Many youngest children are affectionate and do not hide their positive emotions. When they see somebody in trouble, they often go out of the way to help out. Because some youngest children are overly pampered, they can become impractical. If they are not taught the benefits of hard work and discipline, some youngest children tend to feel somewhat dissatisfied with their lives and themselves.
Advantages of Youngest Children
Social
Youngest children are usually outgoing and have strong social skills. This is how you compare to youngest children.
Creative
Youngest children often have an extraordinary ability to see things from a unique perspective. They are usually innovative and open to new experiences. This is how you compare to youngest children.
Affectionate
Youngest children are generally warm-hearted. They are good at forming affectionate and caring relationships. This is how you compare to youngest children.
Disadvantages of Youngest Children
Low Self Esteem
Some youngest children are overly pampered as children. As a result they might grow up doubting their ability to do things on their own. This is how you compare to youngest children.
Life Satisfaction
To carve out their own niche, youngest children have to search for areas not already mastered by their older siblings. This can make some youngest children feel like their choices are restricted, and lead them to feel dissatisfied with their lives. This is how you compare to youngest children.
Sometimes youngest children can be impractical. If they are spoiled as children, they can develop into adults who tend to have overly optimistic expectations about situations, and may not be aware of the work required to achieve certain goals. This is how you compare to youngest children.
est Careers for Youngest Children
Youngest children are best suited to careers that require social skills and creativity, such as sales people, artists, entertainers and editors. In addition, youngest children tend to make exceptionally good writers and historians.
Famous Youngest Children
Halle Berry
Cameron Diaz
Rosie O’Donnell
Eddie Murphy
Billy Crystal
History Behind the Test
During 1930-1960, Alfred Adler was the premier psychologist to develop a theory illustrating how birth order influences personality. Adler’s theory is based on the assumption that all children within a family are treated differently. He proposed that these differences in treatment by parents and siblings lead to the development of different adaptation mechanisms, personalities and lifestyles.
In 1996, Frank Sulloway introduced a birth order theory that expanded on the work of preceding psychologists, including Adler. Sulloway’s birth order theory assumes that in order to survive, people have to adapt to their environments. For example, even when living in the same household, the experiences and interactions that eldest, middle, youngest and only children have will differ, sometimes dramatically, from each other. Thus, it is expected that their cognitions, emotions, and behaviors will differ as well as they all adapt individually to the environment they are in.
Tickle did a study of over 3,500 people to test the most current and prominent theories on birth order’s effect on personality. By analyzing this data, our researchers were able to identify those personality traits that are most characteristic of persons born into a particular position in their family structure. Your scores were calculated by comparing your responses to others who both share your birth order and those who hold a different position from you in their own families.
[ I forgot from which website did i take the test on. Sorry, couldn't give you the website source name. ]
Thanks !