1. Birth Order Effects
Ann Fowler

2. What is birth order??
Alfred Adler was one of the first 1st theorist to suggest that birth order influences personality
It is the chronological order of the sibling births in a family.
First born, middle child or children, last born, and only children.

3. Research shows that a person’s birth order has a direct link with his or her personality
Interactions with parents and siblings associated with being in a particular position in the family.

4. First Born Children (Presidents)
These children are the one with the most attention directed at him/her.
Partly the reason the child has the characteristics they do.
2 types of typical first born children; compliant and aggressive.

5. Traits of First Born Compliant Aggressive
People Pleaser
Crave approval
Nurturers
Caregivers
Reliable
Conscientious
Cooperative
Team players
“Grin and Bear it” mentality
Movers and pleasers
Natural leaders
Perfectionist
Driven
Conventional
Always have things under control
Assertive
Want things their way

6. Both compliant and aggressive may seem very different but share quite a few characteristics. Common Traits
Energetic
Logical
Ambitious
Enterprising
Scholarly

7. Strengths of 1st born Greater level of confidence Helpful
More adult oriented
Excel in academics
Taken seriously
Patient
Organized
Strong powers of concentration
Confident to dream and plan
Feel supported
Choose careers that require a high degree of precision; law, medicine, computer programming, or architecture
No gray area in work field
Often boss or owner of company

8. Weaknesses of 1st born Have an innate fear of being de-throned
Perfectionists
Overachievers
More guilt and anxiety
Difficulty coping with stressful situations
Higher admissions to child guidance clinics
Feel as though they are never good enough
Tend to be selfish with possessions and attention
Do not like to be told what to do
Have a hard time with creative projects
Do not work well with little direction
Do not gravitate towards jobs such as; sales, advertising, art, or music because no structure or stability in those jobs

9. Fun Facts about 1st born
More than ½ of the US Presidents were first born children
21 of the 23 first astronauts were first born children
Famous 1st born children; Walter Conkrite, Dan Rather, Oprah Winfrey, Rush Limbaugh, and Arsenio Hall.
2/3 of entrepreneurs are first born

10. Middle Children (Black Sheep)
Most difficult to both read and raise
“Mysterious Middle Child”
Two main types of middle children
Not clearly defined as the two types of first born
Difficult to pin down
Tend to be opposite of their older sibling
Children with the most friends
Gets along best with others

11. Middle Children 1st type 2nd type
Loner
Quiet shy
Impatient
Uptight
Outgoing
Friendly
Loud
Laid back
Patient

12. Common Characteristic with Middle Born
Flexible
Diplomatic
Rebellious
Attention seeking
Competitive
peacemakers

13. Strengths of Middle born
Peacemakers
Mediators
Able to keep secrets
No spoiled
Take risks
Realistic
Get along well with others
Read people well
Independent
Loyal to supporters
Imaginative
Choose careers that allow them to be creative; arts, sales, advertising, or a career that requires negotiating
Well suited for management
Levelheaded
Able to be unbiased
competitive

14. Weaknesses of Middle born
Does not do well with hierarchy system
Doesn’t like strict rules
Prefer to work at their own pace
Therefore may not complete tasks on time
Does not work well with detail
Does not work well with cut and dry material
Prefers to make things more creative than needed
Hates confrontation
Stubborn
Cynical
Suspicious
Rebellious

15. Fun Facts of Middle born
Famous middle born children; Donald Trump, Ted Kennedy, Tim Allen, Julia Roberts, and Rosie O’Donnell
Love to stand out
Want to “do their own thing”

16. Last Born children (clowns)
Quite often the life of the party
Easiest to define when it comes to the correlation between birth order and personality
Only one main type of last born

17. Last Born Traits Risk takers Idealists Good sense of humor
Hard working
Immature
Attention seeking
Secretive
Sensitive
Known as the “baby”
Live up to that role
Difficult for child to find his or her place in the family
1st and middle child have already left huge footprints to follow in

18. Strengths of last born Outgoing Sociable Affectionate Caring Creative
Empathetic
Confident
Careers in sales
Invention corporations
Good ability to sell things, including themselves
Work well alone
Want to be the boss
Do their own thing in their own space

19. Weaknesses of last born
Do not like to be tied down to a commitment
“cut throat”
Try too hard at times
Alternative routes in life may make them odd man out
Spoiled
Manipulative
Immature
Self-centered
Capricious

20. Fun Facts of Last born
Famous last born children; Howard Stern, Jay Leno, Ralph Nadar, Bill Gates, and Danny DeVito
Tend to go against the norm
Make the biggest stirs in life
Know no boundaries

21. Only Children (greater 1st born)
Special type of birth order
Capable of being any of the three “main”types of birth order
Most of these only children do posses characteristics commonly associated with the aggressive first born
“First Born in Triplicate”
Extreme versions of first born children
Extremist in all aspects of life

22. Only child Traits Mature faster Get along well with older people
Responsible
Self-Centered
Perfectionists
Attentions seekers
Use adult language
Prefer adult company
Have difficulty sharing

23. Strengths of only children
Trust their own opinion
Prompt
Ambitious
Enterprising
Energetic
Set goals
Good problem solvers
Careers similar to those of the 1st born; law, medicine, and architecture
Like black and white concepts
Often prefer to work alone or be the boss
Successful

24. Weaknesses of Only Children
Do not like to be told what to do
Often stray from team work situations
Take too much responsibility
May no respond well to criticisms
Self-Centered
Fearful of trying new things
Criticize themselves and others
Worry too much
Feel they are always right
Inflexible
Too busy to see the big picture

25. Fun Facts of Only Children
Famous only children; Nancy Reagan, Chelsea Clinton, Carol Burnett, and Ted Koppel

26. Variables
Parents; marital status, parenting style, critical eye of parent, parents birth order
Gender, does not occur every instance but if there is a male or female born first and the child immediately proceeding is the opposite sex, the birth order could repeat.
Separate families; more than a five year gap in age of children, or starting a new family.
Adoption or Remarriage
Death of parent or sibling

27. Variable (continued)
Birth order effect might be a strong predictor of behavior.
However an increasing number of family researchers believe that when all of the factors that influence behavior are considered birth order itself shoes limited ability to predict behavior.