Birth order has been proven to have at least some significant effects on personality types. Although you may not bear all the traits of your birth order type, chances are good that you have at least some of them. Here are some of the trends you should be looking for in birth order and personality types.
Alfred Adler, a contemporary of Sigmund Freud, was one of the first psychologists to suggest that birth order was a major determinant of personality. Adler observed that the family unit was a social group in which each person held differing positions of power. A child’s search for identity, power and attention was influenced by their positions as compared to their siblings. Adler suggested that all children are born into a “different” family, depending on their order of birth. As they strive for superiority between their siblings, they struggle to find attention and affection from their parents. These are some of the major aspects of family life that influences the personality of a child.
There are four main types of birth order types: only borns, first borns, second borns, and youngest borns. Here is an overview of the positives and negatives of each type.
•Only Borns Only children are the movers and shakers of the world. They are task oriented and tend to be extremely well organized. They are dependable and reliable. They are very comfortable being in a position of responsibility. Since only borns grew up alone, they often work well alone.
On the negative side of things, only borns are often unforgiving and demanding. They hate to admit when they are wrong and don’t accept criticism well. Their feelings are easily hurt and they tend to struggle in conflict.
•First Borns First borns are the natural leaders. They often live with a sense of superiority. They can be aggressive and controlling, but usually in a positive, “mover and shaker” sense. First borns pay attention to detail, are punctual organized and competent.
On the other hand, first borns can be moody and lack sensitivity. They can be intimidating and push people too hard. They can be a bit of a “know it all” and are usually not good at delegating because they don’t trust others as much as they trust themselves. They may be bossy and overly conscientious.
•Second Borns Middle borns tend to be people pleasers who hate confrontation. They may take on the opposite personalities of their older, first born sibling. They are usually calm and eager to make everyone happy. Second borns are skilled at seeing both sides of a problem and this makes them good mediators and negotiators.
Second borns, however, have a difficult time setting boundaries. They are eager to be liked, even to the point of doing things they don’t feel comfortable with to keep their friends. They are less driven than first borns. They may become co-dependent as they try to please everyone. Second borns have difficulty making decisions that might offend others. They tend to blame themselves when others fail.
•Youngest Borns Last borns are the fun loving, happy go lucky type of people. They have strong people skills and love to entertain and talk to others. They make friends fairly easily and make others feel comfortable around them. They are usually extroverts. They’re not afraid to take risks.
On the other hand, youngest children tend to get bored quickly. They have a strong fear of rejection and a short attention span. When things stop being fun, youngest borns tend to want to find something else to do. They may be slightly self-centered and selfish. They have trouble finishing projects.
Parenting viewpoints from parents in the trenches, because parenting doesn’t come with a manual. In addition to