Researchers from Montpellier University have suggested that the arrival of a younger brother or sister can alienate the eldest child and can have a long-lasting psychological impact, leaving them naturally wary of others, the Daily Mail reported.
The study, published in New Scientist magazine, involved more than 400 volunteers who were asked to take part in a game designed to assess cooperation. The group included 178 firstborns, 48 middle children, 125 lastborns and 66 only children. Volunteers were placed in pairs — player A and player B — and were each given the same amount of money.
Player A was told to give some of their money to player B and, in return, player B would give them back some of the money, the Daily Mail reported.
The researchers found that when in the player A role firstborns were likely to hand over 25 percent less cash than only children, middle and lastborns. The fact there was no difference in generosity between only children and children with elder siblings, researchers determined that the reason for being more cooperative was not related to growing up with or without brothers or sisters.
Instead, the Daily Mail reported, the researchers said the sudden shift in status from “only child to firstborn following the birth of a younger sibling seems to lead the eldest child to reduce his or her cooperative behaviour”.
Firstborn children were also found to have higher IQs, which researchers suggested could be because they had their parents’ undivided attention for the early, formative years of their lives. This undivided attention, researchers added, can mean that eldest children are more uptight and anxious because they have been babied and protected by their parents.
Younger children were found to be more able to cope with stress and more relaxed than older siblings, and was often shorter because competition for food, money and attention can affect growth.
Are you an anxious eldest child? Or a relaxed middle child? What do you think of the findings of this study?
