Family Life

A study of siblings in high school reveals how birth order may affect a child's intelligence and personality.  Researcher Tiffany Frank of New York's Adelphi University first asked 90 pairs of siblings to compare themselves to their brother or sister on factors like academic performance and work ethic.  She also analyzed their academic test scores and grades.  Frank found first-borns got higher test scores in math and verbal ability, while younger siblings had better grade point averages in English and math.

Younger children may earn better grades either because they are mentored by first-borns who've already tackled certain subjects or because later-born kids feel extra pressure to be competitive.  On the personality front, first-borns tended to be perfectionists more than their younger siblings, who the researchers found were more outgoing, forgiving and open to new experiences.

A study of siblings in high school reveals how birth order may affect a child's intelligence and personality.  Researcher Tiffany Frank of New York's Adelphi University first asked 90 pairs of siblings to compare themselves to their brother or sister on factors like academic performance and work ethic.  She also analyzed their academic test scores and grades.  Frank found first-borns got higher test scores in math and verbal ability, while younger siblings had better grade point averages in English and math.

Younger children may earn better grades either because they are mentored by first-borns who've already tackled certain subjects or because later-born kids feel extra pressure to be competitive.  On the personality front, first-borns tended to be perfectionists more than their younger siblings, who the researchers found were more outgoing, forgiving and open to new experiences.