Do you have siblings and where in line do you rank in age. Were you the first child or the last one?
The question of how birth order shapes a child's future is one that has fascinated researchers for well over a century. Psychologist Alfred Adler theorized in the early 20th century that birth order influenced not just social status but a child's development and personality, writing in 1931 that "the position in the family leaves an indelible stamp upon the individual's life style." National Geographic
Younger siblings do enjoy some real advantages, they are born to parents who are generally wealthier and more experienced, and older siblings can serve as role models, mentors, and productive rivals. The Washington Post
On intelligence, there may be a small intellectual advantage among firstborns, likely due to the amount of parental attention they receive, though the impact of birth order on personality seems to fade with age. TODAY.com
But the broader picture is more complicated. A growing consensus among researchers holds that whatever minor differences exist are more about parenting style and environment than biology. Psychologist Joseph Rodgers found that when he adjusted for family size and socioeconomic factors, the supposed intelligence advantage of firstborns vanished entirely. After decades of study, many scientists now conclude that birth order doesn't determine who you are and that the myth persists largely because of how our brains work, not because of what the research shows. Psychology Today