birth order affecting psyche

[Serotonin]

I thought this was interesting:


Birth order has a significant impact on your psychological makeup and attitudes toward romance. Your key to happiness in love can be easily predicted by evaluating the role you play in your family.

How it works
Birth order analysis is not as straightforward as it may seem. In a family with four children, the second and third children may not necessarily behave as middle children. In large families, the oldest child often behaves more like an only child and the second like a last-born child, leaving the third child to assume the role of the first-born.

Large gaps of time also affect a child's psychological make up. The third born child who is five or more years younger than the second born will perceive himself to be a first-born child. A son born after a string of daughters, or vice versa, is also likely to adopt the role of first-born.

The only child
The characteristics of a first-born child are magnified in the only child. You can rely on an only child to be fairly loyal as the loneliness of their childhood translates into a desire to be true. When only children set goals, they are able to accomplish things that seem impossible to others.

But the only child is less of a perfectionist than the oldest child and more likely to stray in a relationship, especially in a situation where it seems they will never get caught, such as a solo vacation or while their mate is out of town for an extended period. The only child tends to play by the rules but works behind the scenes to bend the rules their way.

First-born child
Oldest children tend to be leaders. With an inclination toward following social norms, they tend to find success within established boundaries. And they take responsibility, sticking to the rules.

First-born children are more likely than others to marry their childhood sweethearts. They are also the more likely to stay in relationships that aren't working and try to fix things. If your soulmate is a first born, you are in a relationship that has a good chance of lasting a lifetime.

Middle child
Well-adjusted middle children occupy the happy middle. Because they are part of a hierarchy, they learn negotiating tactics very well. If your manager at work is a middle child, expect the best treatment your company has to offer.

Middle children either marry very early (in an effort to be first at something) or late in life when they have found the perfect match. And they are great lovers; their desire to please their partner comes from an upbringing of learning how to cooperate and coexist. But be forewarned: Although they may seem generous and conciliatory most of the time, middle children are the fiercest competitors.

Youngest child
Far from being the runt of the litter, the youngest child is usually the most outgoing. They are also very low-maintenance lovers. Once in a relationship, it doesn't take much to keep a youngest child interested. But while they may be competent lovers and affectionate spouses, don't ever try to dominate them.

Last-born children live to question authority. Far from parroting the ideas of others, look for them to be innovators in technology and fashion. The youngest child also has the best sense of humor in the family.

Ghost child
This is the child born into a family after a miscarriage, stillbirth or child who died as an infant. A ghost child combines the competitive qualities of the middle child with the responsibility attributes of the older child.

Ghost children are very spiritual partners, melding effortlessly with almost any person who desires them. The problems in a ghost child's relationships usually center on their ambiguous attitude toward commitment and a tendency to end things quite suddenly.

Twins
The firstborn of a set of twins does not necessarily take on the role of the first-born child. Twins establish their own hierarchies in childhood and suddenly, usually between ages 11 and 22, switch into the opposite roles. One twin will exhibit characteristics of a first-born child and the other will adopt the role of a youngest child.

The switch will usually be triggered by a traumatic or important event, such as a death in the family or a move to a new city. Once the switch happens, it is permanent. Twins usually make understanding partners who want to sample what the world has to offer.

[MC Hammered]

Interesting read Peter and some point do work, others don't.

My parents had 4 kids: Boy, girl, girl, boy. Left handed, right handed, left handed, right handed. I guess my parents believed in Balance. :041:

Anyway, my sister and I are pretty much how you described with me being the first born and my sister being the 'middle' type.

There is a 8-10 year gap between us and the younger two. My second sister is a rebel without a clue, defies authority and is all over the place.

My youngest brother is lost in life, shy and can't make a decision on his own.

Either the points above are true or I was born into a dysfunctional family.

[M!SKA]

I read the discription for the first-born and was gonna comment on how its all bullshit, because that isn't me at all.. then I saw the ghost child one :)

[cinist]

im the youngest, im not inclined to listen to authority so i guess its right on

[desiRAWR]

I am a middle child, and that's quite accurate to myself. I showed my boyfriend this too and he's the ghost child. Very much like him (except for the one part that says he has a tendency to end a relationship quickly--let's hope.)