scholarly journals DamianSpengler_2020_EJP_Negligible Effects of Birth Order on Selection into Scientific and Artistic Careers, Creativity, and Status Attainment

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodica I. Damian ◽  
Marion Spengler
Keyword(s):  
Educational Attainment ◽  
Personality Traits ◽  
Birth Order ◽  
Longitudinal Design ◽  
Status Attainment ◽  
Order Effects ◽  
Occupational Prestige ◽  
Career Outcomes ◽  
Direct Effects ◽  
Confluence Model

We tested birth order effects on selection into different careers (scientific, artistic, creative) and status attainment (educational attainment, occupational prestige, and income) using a large sample (n = 3,763), a longitudinal design, and relevant controls. Additionally, we tested mediation of birth order effects on career outcomes via personality traits, intelligence, and educational attainment. We found negligible birth order effects ranging from .02 to .12 on a correlational metric, where firstborns (vs. laterborns) selected into more creative careers and attained higher prestige and education. Conditional on the theoretically based mediation models tested, results showed that intelligence and educational attainment (but not personality traits) accounted for a statistically significant portion of the variance in the links between birth order and career outcomes. No direct effects of birth order on career outcomes remained when accounting for indirect effects through educational attainment. These findings bring modest support to the confluence model, no support to the niche-finding model, and suggest that one possible route via which birth order might impact career outcomes (if at all) could be via educational attainment.

Negligible effects of birth order on selection into scientific and artistic careers, creativity, and status attainment

2020 ◽  
pp. 089020702096901
Author(s):  
Rodica Ioana Damian ◽  
Marion Spengler
Keyword(s):  
Educational Attainment ◽  
Personality Traits ◽  
Birth Order ◽  
Longitudinal Design ◽  
Status Attainment ◽  
Order Effects ◽  
Occupational Prestige ◽  
Career Outcomes ◽  
Direct Effects ◽  
Confluence Model

We tested birth order effects on selection into different careers (scientific, artistic, and creative) and status attainment (educational attainment, occupational prestige, and income) using a large sample ( n = 3763), a longitudinal design, and relevant controls. Additionally, we tested mediation of birth order effects on career outcomes via personality traits, intelligence, and educational attainment. We found negligible birth order effects ranging from 0.02 to 0.12 on a correlational metric, where firstborns (vs. laterborns) selected into more creative careers and attained higher prestige and education. Conditional on the theoretically based mediation models tested, results showed that intelligence and educational attainment (but not personality traits) accounted for a statistically significant portion of the variance in the links between birth order and career outcomes. No direct effects of birth order on career outcomes remained when accounting for indirect effects through educational attainment. These findings bring modest support to the confluence model, no support to the niche-finding model, and suggest that one possible route via which birth order might impact career outcomes (if at all) could be via educational attainment.

Probing Birth-Order Effects on Narrow Traits Using Specification-Curve Analysis

2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (12) ◽  
pp. 1821-1832 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia M. Rohrer ◽  
Boris Egloff ◽  
Stefan C. Schmukle
Keyword(s):  
Personality Traits ◽  
Birth Order ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Order Effect ◽  
Political Orientation ◽  
Curve Analysis ◽  
Order Effects ◽  
Big Five Personality ◽  
Birth Order Effect ◽  
Self Reports

The idea that birth-order position has a lasting impact on personality has been discussed for the past 100 years. Recent large-scale studies have indicated that birth-order effects on the Big Five personality traits are negligible. In the current study, we examined a variety of more narrow personality traits in a large representative sample ( n = 6,500–10,500 in between-family analyses; n = 900–1,200 in within-family analyses). We used specification-curve analysis to assess evidence for birth-order effects across a range of models implementing defensible yet arbitrary analytical decisions (e.g., whether to control for age effects or to exclude participants on the basis of sibling spacing). Although specification-curve analysis clearly confirmed the previously reported birth-order effect on intellect, we found no meaningful effects on life satisfaction, locus of control, interpersonal trust, reciprocity, risk taking, patience, impulsivity, or political orientation. The lack of meaningful birth-order effects on self-reports of personality was not limited to broad traits but also held for more narrowly defined characteristics.

scholarly journals Analysing Effects of Birth Order on Intelligence, Educational Attainment, Big Five, and Risk Aversion in an Indonesian Sample

2020 ◽  
pp. per.2285
Author(s):  
Laura J. Botzet ◽  
Julia M. Rohrer ◽  
Ruben C. Arslan
Keyword(s):  
Risk Aversion ◽  
Educational Attainment ◽  
Birth Order ◽  
Big Five ◽  
Order Effects ◽  
Sibship Size ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
Linear Pattern ◽  
Universal Family ◽  
Non Linear

Few studies have examined birth order effects on personality in countries that are not Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic (WEIRD). However, theories have generally suggested that interculturally universal family dynamics are the mechanism behind birth order effects, and prominent theories such as resource dilution would predict even stronger linear effects in poorer countries. Here, we examine a subset of up to 11 188 participants in the Indonesian Family Life Survey to investigate whether later–borns differ from earlier–borns in intelligence, educational attainment, Big Five, and risk aversion. Analyses were performed using within–family designs in mixed–effects models. In model comparisons, we tested for linear and non–linear birth order effects as well as for possible interactions of birth order and sibship size. Our estimated effect sizes are consistent with the emerging account of birth order as having relatively little impact on intelligence, Big Five, and risk aversion. We found a non–linear pattern for educational attainment that was not robust to imputation of missing data and not aligned with trends in WEIRD countries. Overall, the small birth order effects reported in other studies appear to be culturally specific. © 2020 The Authors. European Journal of Personality published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Association of Personality Psychology

scholarly journals Effects of Birth Order on Intelligence, Educational Attainment, Personality, and Risk Aversion in an Indonesian Sample

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Botzet ◽  
Julia Marie Rohrer ◽  
Ruben C. Arslan
Keyword(s):  
Risk Aversion ◽  
Educational Attainment ◽  
Birth Order ◽  
Panel Study ◽  
Effect Sizes ◽  
Order Effects ◽  
Sibship Size ◽  
Resource Dilution ◽  
Universal Family ◽  
Intelligence Education

Few studies have examined birth order effects on personality in countries that are not Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic (WEIRD), even though theories have generally suggested interculturally universal family dynamics as the mechanism behind birth order effects, and prominent theories such as resource dilution would even predict stronger effects in poorer countries. Here, we investigate a subset of up to 11,188 participants of the Indonesian Family Life Survey, an ongoing representative panel study, to study whether later-born siblings differ from earlier-borns in intelligence, educational attainment, personality, and risk aversion. Analyses were performed using within-family designs in mixed-effects models. In model comparisons we tested for linear and non-linear birth order effects as well as for possible interactions of birth order and sibship size. Our estimated effect sizes are consistent with the emerging account of birth order as having relatively little impact on intelligence, education, personality, and risk aversion; and they exclude recent estimates from WEIRD populations based on large sample sizes. Thus, even the small effects of birth order reported in other studies appear to be culturally specific.

Birth Order Effects on Personality and Achievement Within Families

1999 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 482-488 ◽  
Author(s):  
Delroy L. Paulhus ◽  
Paul D. Trapnell ◽  
David Chen
Keyword(s):  
Birth Order ◽  
Personality Development ◽  
Family Data ◽  
Order Effects ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Confluence Model ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Intellectual Achievement ◽  
Personality Ratings ◽  
Diverse Data

We investigated birth order effects on personality and achievement in four studies (N = 1,022 families) including both student and adult samples. Control over a wide range of variables was effected by collecting within-family data: Participants compared their siblings (and themselves) on a variety of personality and achievement dimensions. Across four diverse data sets, first-borns were nominated as most achieving and most conscientious. Later-borns were nominated as most rebellious, liberal, and agreeable. The same results obtained whether or not birth order was made salient (to activate stereotypes) during the personality ratings. Overall, the results support predictions from Sulloway's niche model of personality development, as well as Zajonc's confluence model of intellectual achievement.

Birth Order and Rebelliousness: Reconstructing the Research in Born To Rebel

2000 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 135-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frederic Townsend
Keyword(s):  
Personality Traits ◽  
Birth Order ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Order Effects ◽  
Scientific Revolutions ◽  
Reconstructed Data

In Born to Rebel (1996), Frank Sulloway proposed that laterborns are more rebellious than firstborns. In the context of Sulloway's theory, this article examines the difficulties of defining and measuring rebelliousness. Rebellious acts (such as attempting to overthrow a government) are one measure of rebelliousness. Using this measure, an analysis of six of Sulloway's samples undermines the theory. As a second measure of rebelliousness, Sulloway relies on the personality traits of his subjects. Many of the rebellious traits he selected, however, appear unrelated to rebellious behavior. A reexamination of 28 scientific revolutions Sulloway analyzed reveals other weaknesses. Finally, Born to Rebel contains a meta-analysis of the birth order literature. The application of two methodologies to the reconstructed data is discussed. Neither methodology appears to replicate the results in Born to Rebel. The conclusion is that Sulloway's claims for birth order effects should be rejected.

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