Birth Order

   Does the order of where you are born in the family play a significant role in your personality and affect socialization?  Some sociologists think that is does affect your personality and socialization.

Some characteristics for the oldest child include: Responsible, conservative, follows parents' wishes, emotionally intense, perfectionist, driven, and leadership material. I'm the oldest sibling in my family but I wouldn't say I have those characteristics. But compared to my other siblings I do, not just because I am older though.

Some characteristics for the middle child include: peacemaker, negotiator, highly attuned to needs of others, doesn't like to follow authority, independent, and peer-focused. My brother that is in the middle of the siblings fits some of those roles. For example he is very independent because all he does is sit in his room and plays video games.

Characteristics of the youngest child include: laid back, highly social, dependent, creative, few expectations for self, and unconventional.  My youngest sibling is very different than us. He is very dependent, and somewhat laid back.

Sulloway said, "Younger siblings tend to pick interest that are diametrically opposite to those of their older siblings."  This is very true in my family, my youngest brother does not like the same things as us older two. We like sports and exercise activity, but my youngest brother does not. He would rather stay inside and do something like watch TV or play video games. It is not bad that he is like this, he just doesn't like the same things.

"Typical first-born strategy is to use the advantages of age, size and power to dominate a younger sibling," Sulloway says. That statement is also true, I do use the age factor a lot when it comes down to conflicts with my siblings. All siblings fight, whether its physically or none physically. Usually they grow away from the fighting as they get older.

The older sibling paves the way for the younger ones so they pretty much have an easy path.
I think that birth order does have affects on behavior but I also think a lot of kids grow out of it and change a lot as they get older and when they hang around different kids.