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Birth Order
Birth Order Birth order can contribute too many differences in one’s personality. Joshua K. Hartshorne an editor for Scientific News states that “our position in the family does indeed affect both our IQ and our personality.” It is a rising controversy that many people disagree on. Birth order has a lot to do with ones, future, career personality, relationships etc. The way, in which one was treated as a child pertaining to birth order can influence how they feel, behave and how they live in the rest of their life. Although genes play a big role in child development they also interact with birth order. If a family of four children all have the same genes and are brought up the same way by the same two parents, then why are they so different from each other? Well birth order is the answer! Judith Rich Harris a researcher on birth order and personalities explains” As everybody knows, parents don 't treat their kids all alike. And one of the things that makes parents treat their children differently -- this is something that Lois Hoffman and Dunn and Plomin agreed on -- is birth order.” This statement in a nut shell explains why children and siblings are so different and that birth order does have something to do with one’s personality. In general parents usually treat their children differently according to birth order, whether it is intentional or unintentional. A typical parent treats their first born as the center of their attention. Parents spend more time teaching their first born things like, letters, blocks, puzzles, and they also spend more time reading to their first born. As the first born gets older a lot of responsibility is placed on them. For example they may be required to do more chores, get good grades, or maybe even babysit younger siblings. A significant difference in how parents treat their first born compared to their other children is how they acknowledge their successes. Parents will treat their first born child’s achievements with much


Cited: Hartshorne, Joshua K. "How Birth Order Affects Your Personality ." Scientific American. N.p., 10 Nov. 2011. Web. 1 May 2013. Mazzara, J. “Birth Order and Personality” 2004. Handout. 1 May 2013. Harris., Judith R. Why Can 't Birth Order Account . N.p., 3 Sept. 2011. Web. 1 May 2013.
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