Study: Middle children are more cooperative


By AGENCY
  • Family
  • Wednesday, 05 Feb 2025

Middle children regularly act as mediators within their families. — AFP

It's often said that birth order shapes children’s personalities, with the eldest being more authoritarian and conservative, while younger children have a more rebellious spirit. But what about middle children?

A Canadian study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals that they may be the real architects of family harmony.

A team of Canadian psychologists, led by Michael Ashton and Kibeom Lee, examined data from over 700,000 participants, mainly from English-speaking countries. These volunteers included eldest, middle and youngest children, as well as people with no siblings. Their study reveals that middle children score slightly higher than their siblings on traits related to cooperation.More broadly, the study shows that growing up in a larger family fosters a more people-oriented personality.

These children are more likely to develop two specific traits linked to cooperation: agreeableness and what the researchers call honesty-humility, ie a tendency to be sincere, fair and respectful towards others.

Middle children, often caught between their elders and younger siblings, seem to excel in these areas, regularly acting as mediators within their families.

One surprising figure that puts this theory into perspective is that someone from a family of six is 60% more likely to be cooperative than an only child, if the two are compared at random.

However, Lee points out the limitations of this observation.

“You can’t tell much about the personality of a given individual from their birth order or family size, even though there are clear differences when averaging across many people,” the researcher told the Guardian.

In short, while birth order or family size may not totally define our personality, these factors can leave a subtle imprint.

Growing up with many brothers and sisters fosters mutual support and adaptability, and the intermediate position of middle children prepares them to forge balanced, rich relationships with those around them.

This discreet but essential asset helps build strong bonds within the family and beyond. – AFP Relaxnews

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