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Adlerian Theory and the Relationship Between

Birth Order and PersonalityA research study by Meghan Falconer

Spring 2015

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Third Child/ First Born Son

Second Born/Second Oldest

Fifth of Six/ Baby Girl

Fourth Child/

Second Boy

Baby/Youngest

Oldest Child/First

Girl

Alfred Adler (1870-1937)

• Third Born of Seven Children

• Childhood Illness:• Rickets

• Pneumonia

• Brother’s Death

• Medical Doctor

• Influenced by Hans Vaihinger and the literature of Dostoevsky.

Alfred Adler (1870-1937)

• Freud and the “Vienna Psychoanalytic Society”

• Break away from Freud• Individual Psychology

• Hospital Work to Child Guidance Clinics • Family/Communal therapy

• Fled to America

• Death in 1937

Alder’s Individual Psychology

He made this a basic concept of Individual Psychology: "For before the individual life of man, there was the community. In the history of human culture, there is not a

single form of life which was not conducted as social. Never has man appeared otherwise than in society”1

Adler on Birth order and Personality

1) Children of the same family are not born into the same environment.

2) It is not the actual order of the birth, but the psychological situation which is important.

3) Marked difference in age between siblings tends to reduce competition between them.

4) Birth order is not an absolute determinant, only an influence

Adler on Birth Order and Personality

Ordinal position: refers to the actual order in which the child was born; i.e., first, second, third…tenth, eleventh and so on.

Location: The psychological position of the child is his role location – the way the child locates himself in family structure. His perspective.

Birth order: refers to five basic positions that Adler described which tend to have recognizable characteristics later on in life. Firstborn: Second: Middle: Youngest: Only:

Firstborns

Born into a life without a rival (or leader)

Parents that "sweat all the details."

Dethronement More Risk Adverse

Parental High Expectations

Learn the concept of power at a young age Tyrannical or Helpful

Second Born

Born with a pacemaker (especially if same gender) Sees his sibling as a standard by

which he measures himself

Competitive with sibling and with others

Search for a niche

Rebellious

Can be fiercely motivated to become superior

Middle Child

there is a standard bearer in front and a pursuer in the rear.

He is surrounded by competitors. He may feel squeezed. consistent in attempting to be best

Due to their "middle" status, they also may be the most flexible and diplomatic members of the family.

May be even-tempered, "take it or leave it" attitude.

May have trouble finding a place or become a fighter of injustice.

Youngest

the trail is well broken and the guidelines are clear may feel she or he has a lot of ground to cover in order to catch up

is never dethroned, may be dependent and selfish due to always being taken care of by family members. Hard time hearing ‘no’ Difficulty sharing attention

Parents much more relaxed and confident in their own ability to be parents. Spend more time and energy doting on this child than

stressing high achievement.

Pampering, Adler believed is the worst thing a parent could do for his or her child, as it can lead to a dependence, selfishness and irresponsibility High self esteem, doesn't’t feel the need to compete for

attention.

Most likely to succeed in creative pursuits.

Only Child

Like an oldest child and a youngest child

never had a rival, peers tend to be curiosities rather than competitors

Are not given automatic peers May become very introverted and shy Or may very outgoing due to the need to

always be proactive about social interaction with peers

Excellent at socializing with Adults

May endure incredible pressure from parents to succeed, parents see their only child as “their only hope”.

Be unfamiliar with not being ‘first’, or having to share.

Large Families vs Small Families

Family of 2 Possibility of 2 “only” children

Family of 3 May accentuate the ‘in the middle’ feeling

Larger families: Oldest child bears much more responsibility Middle children may work very hard to feel

significant Youngest child may become an aunt or uncle

and have experiences similar to that of an oldest child or adult

Effects of Gender or Age Differences

First Born Son /Baby Girl syndrome

Age gaps may ‘group’ siblings Also diffuses the desire to

compete with on another

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Research Question:The purpose of this research study is to investigate the relationship between birth order and personality of birth order using a personality questionnaire that has been modified to include a question regarding the student’s place in the birth order, family size, and gender, and sibling age gap. In particular, this research study seeks to answer the following questions:

(1)Does the ‘indelible impression birth order has on an individual’s’ result in easily identifiable and predictable characteristics?

(2) Does a child’s gender affect the relationship between birth order and Adler’s personality theories?

(3)Does large age gapes, and family size affect the relationship between birth order and Adler’s personality theories?

Hypothesis

I feel that I will be able to find characteristics that Adler predicted to be shared between most oldest, second oldest, middle, youngest, and only children share

However, I feel that there will be much variability contributed by: differences in gender and especially in families

with large age gaps.

Ordinal Birth

PositionAnticipated Qualities Results:

Oldest

• High sense of responsibility for others, • Sticks with what they are good at• Tendency to take control and advise,• Comfortable with attention,• More comfortable with younger children

and adults than people same age• Feels “the weight of the world”

Second Oldest

• Competitive• Jealous• Tendency to Rebel for attention• Motivated to be superior• Proud of Meticulousness and self-discipline

Middle

• Good listener• Tendency to feel invisible• Either really hates attention or really loves

it• Doesn’t feel comfortable in control• Spends time thinking and dreaming

Youngest

• Asks for help• Identifies as an entertainer• Idolizes and has roles models

Only Child

• Least competitive• Doesn't’t notice attention• Most comfortable with adults

Methodology

What Adler did

Originally to use an: International Personality Inventory Pool questionnaire (IPIP)

Decided the best way to connect it to Adler would be to start from scratch,

Create questions, trust my judgment 58 Questions including:

Gender Ordinal birth position, Number of children in

family Siblings of same gender

(yes or no) Age gaps between older

and younger sibling

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Methodology:1. The researcher will conduct the research amongst students

currently enrolled at one University. The researcher will recruiting at least 20 students of each sex and ordinal birth position.

2. The researcher will distribute the web address to an online personality questionnaire on Survey Monkey created by the researcher, to random students on campus who express interest.

3. The Researcher will score the questionnaires, and analyze the results.

Example Questions:

Participant Demographics

106 Participants 28% Male 72% Female

33

18

19

7

7

21

13

13%

14%

19%

18%

37%

Number of Children in the Family

1 2 3

4 5 or more

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Results:

Oldest Children Results:

• High sense of responsibility for others, Females: 55% Males: 62%

• Sticks with what they are good at, Females: 42%, Males: 38%

• Tendency to take control and advise, , Females: 70%, Males: 15%

• Comfortable with attention, , Females: 91%, Males: 97%

• Relate best with younger children and adults than people same age. Females: 33%, Males: 40%

• Feels “the weight of the world”, Females: 54%, Males: 63%

• Feel jealous and defeated when others achieve what you want to achieve Females:74%, Males: 84%

Second Oldest Child Results:

• Jealous of the others for their gifts, Females 20%, Males 40%

• Thirsty for attention, Females 62%, Males 72%

• Motivated to be superior, Females 62%, Males 80%

• Proud of Meticulousness and self-discipline Females 15%, Male 31%

Middle Child

• Contribute by listening, Females: 41%, Males: 35%

• Tendency to feel invisible, Females: 12% , Males: 0%

• Either really hates attention or really loves it, Females: 21% dislike , Males: 88% love attention (especially 5th and later born)

• Doesn’t feel comfortable in control, Females: 68% (especially 3rd and 4th born), Males: 59%

• Spends time thinking and dreaming, Females: 87% , Males: 90%

Youngest Children

• Asks for help, Females, 69% Males 14%

• Identifies as an entertainer, Females 87% Males, 96%

• Idolizes and has roles models, Females 81%, Males 43%

• Relate best to older people, Female 59%, Male 26%

Only Children

• Not threatened by other’s gifts, Females 50%, Males 33%

• Doesn't’t notice attention as much, Females 75%, Males 66%

• Relates best with adults, Females 75%, Males 0%

• Stressed when things don’t go according to plan, Females 60%, Males 66%

• Does not like others touching/using their belongings, Females 70%, Males 66%

Ordinal Birth Position

Anticipated Qualities Results:

Oldest

• High sense of responsibility for others, • Sticks with what they are good at• Tendency to take control and advise,• Comfortable with attention,• More comfortable with younger children and

adults than people same age• Feels “the weight of the world”• Feel jealous and defeated when others

achieve what you want to achieve

• High sense of responsibility for others, • Sticks with what they are good at, • Tendency to take control and advise

(Males)• Comfortable with attention • Relate best with younger children and

adults than people same age• Feels “the weight of the world”• Feel jealous and defeated when others

achieve what you want to achieve Females:

Second Oldest

• Jealous of others for their gifts• Thirsty for attention• Motivated to be superior• Proud of Meticulousness and self-discipline

• Jealous of others for their gifts• Thirsty for attention• Motivated to be superior• Proud of Meticulousness and self-

discipline

Middle

• Contribute by listening• Tendency to feel invisible• Either really hates attention or really loves it• Doesn’t feel comfortable in control• Spends time thinking and dreaming

• Contribute by listening• Tendency to feel invisible• Either really hates attention or really

loves it• Doesn’t feel comfortable in control• Spends time thinking and dreaming

Youngest

• Asks for help• Identifies as an entertainer• Idolizes and has roles models• Relate best to older people

• Asks for help, Males 14%• Identifies as an entertainer, Females 87%

Idolizes and has roles models, Males 23%• Relate best to older people, Male 26%

Only Child

• Least competitive• Doesn't’t notice attention as much• Relates best to adults• Stressed when things don’t go according to

plan• Does not like others touching/using their

belongings

• Not threatened by other’s gifts, • Doesn't’t notice attention as much, • Relates best with adults- Males 0%• Stressed when things don’t go according

to plan, • Does not like others touching/using their

belongings

• People in families with 2 or less children:

• Dislike attention the most• Are least concerned with the affairs of others• Are more likely to put things back in their place• Do not like being put in charge of group activities.

• People in families with 3-4 or children:

• Are very good at improvising when things don’t go according to plan

• Youngest children are very jealous of the gifts of others

• People in families of 5 children or more:• Feel they are great at starting

conversations• Talk the most when they are with their

family • Love to hear stories more than tell

stories (2:1 ratio)• Take charge or work as a peace keeper

in stressful situations

Trends for Family Size Differences

Trends for Large Age Gaps

An Authority figure will be proud of me

50%

Children with 5+ years between siblings:

Only 15% replied that they don’t feel jealous when others achieve things they want to achieve

85% responded that they are not usually motivated by the desire to do better than others

Noticed Trends:

Second oldest children acted out the most for attention

All male only children contribute best by giving advice

Second oldest children are more talkative with their family than with their friends

Male only children would much rather tell a story than hear one.

Everyone feels they are good listeners

People who rarely speak had large families and older and younger siblings 1-2 years older and younger.

Limitations

Adler created his theories after hours and hours of clinical observations—I used a survey Temptation for people

to choose the “best” answer instead of the honest answer

Didn't have time to ask open ended questions

Had to be careful about what questions to ask to protect anonymity

Hard to find only children

Hard time thinking of ways to investigate certain characteristics

Improvements

I would have like to have not told people I was studying Birth Order.

Have some open ended questions

Ideally more people—especially more only children

Nature - Nurture Line

Nurture

Nature